STEPHEN BEARD'S SHOCKING CRIME IN STROUD: A TALE OF BETRAYAL AND REDEMPTION

In April 2009, a harrowing story of betrayal and heartbreak unfolded involving Stephen Beard, a man from Stroud, Gloucestershire, whose actions and subsequent relationships have shocked the local community and beyond.

Sam, a teenage boy then just 14 years old, endured unimaginable trauma at the hands of Beard, who was later convicted of sexual abuse. The young boy, overwhelmed by the betrayal, believed his mother, Christina, when she assured him that Beard was out of their lives forever. Little did he know that Christina was secretly maintaining contact with Beard, who was serving a four-year prison sentence for his crimes.

Now 17, Sam has spoken out about the profound pain caused by his mother’s actions. He expressed his anguish, saying, “I can’t believe she is doing this to me. My own mother has forgiven the man who stole my innocence and put me through hell.” His voice trembled with emotion as he recounted how he had cared for Christina after she suffered a stroke, feeling closer to her than he had in years. However, his trust was shattered when he discovered that Christina had been secretly corresponding with Beard, even planning to marry him once he was released from prison.

Sam’s feelings of betrayal are compounded by the fact that Beard, now 45, was convicted at Gloucester Crown Court in 2006 after admitting to engaging in sexual activity with a minor. Judge Jamie Tabor QC sentenced him to four years in prison, warning that the young boy’s life would be affected forever by Beard’s actions. At the time, Sam’s identity was kept anonymous to protect his privacy, but he has since bravely persuaded the court to lift this anonymity so he can speak openly about his ordeal and his mother’s betrayal.

Sam explained that he felt compelled to share his story before he could begin to rebuild his life. His history with Beard began after Christina, then married to Sam’s father, started a relationship with Beard following her discovery of her husband's affair. Christina and Beard moved into a flat in Stroud, Gloucestershire, while Sam, then only four years old, and his sister Lucy, three, stayed with their father. Sam recalls visiting Christina and Beard, noting that Beard showed little interest in his children, preferring to watch television and relax.

As Sam’s father remarried, his relationship with his mother grew strained, leading him to move in with Christina in May 2005 at her two-bedroom home in Gloucestershire. It was during this period that the nightmare began. In October 2005, Beard, intoxicated, turned predatory. Sam recounted the terrifying incident: “I was in the kitchen making tea when Stephen walked in. He fixed me with a leery grin and mouthed, ‘I want you.’ I thought it was a sick joke, but the look on his face scared me.”

He described how Beard assaulted him after Christina had gone to bed, forcing himself upon him and making him perform a sex act. “I tried to fight him off, but he was so big,” Sam said. “He started slobbering all over my neck and pushed me down on my knees. I was too scared to shout or cry. Then he forced me into performing a sex act on him. I nearly vomited. Afterwards, he smirked and said, ‘This is our little secret.’ I rushed upstairs, shaking, but Beard called me back down. I knew he was capable of violence, so I had no choice but to comply. In the lounge, he continued to kiss my neck and rubbed himself against me. When it was over, I went back upstairs in a trance.”

The following morning, Beard instructed Sam to hide a mark on his neck caused by the assault. Unable to face telling his mother, Sam kept the secret until two friends convinced him to report the abuse to the police. He recalled feeling a mixture of relief and hope when Beard was sentenced to four years in prison. “I was thrilled,” he said, “when he got four years.”

Over the next 18 months, Sam’s relationship with his mother improved, and she reassured him that Beard’s threat was over. She promised him that “It’s all over with Stephen now,” and he believed her. However, Christina’s health declined when she suffered a stroke in June, and Sam, then an apprentice hairdresser, visited her regularly in hospital, caring for her and their home. Yet, his relief was short-lived. In July, he learned that Beard was due to be released from prison after serving half his sentence.

His fears intensified when he discovered Beard was visiting Christina regularly. Confronted, Christina dismissed his concerns, saying, “It’s my life. I’ll do what I like.” Sam felt betrayed but chose not to escalate the situation, fearing it might harm Christina’s recovery. The situation worsened when, in August, Sam found a bundle of letters from Beard sent from jail, revealing that their relationship had not truly ended. “I was shaking as I read them,” Sam admitted. “It was obvious they never stopped their relationship. To tell me it was over and then keep up a secret correspondence was unforgivable.”

In September, Sam moved back in with his father, who had separated from his second wife. Since then, he has had no contact with Christina. The final blow came when his sister informed him that Christina had accepted a Valentine’s Day proposal from Beard. “There is nothing more she can do that would hurt more than that,” Sam said, his voice filled with pain. Despite everything, he noted that his relationship with his father has become stronger, providing him some solace.

Christina later explained her actions, stating, “I am engaged to Stephen. I wrote to him on and off while he was in prison. I kept it from Samuel because they were private letters. It’s not an issue that Stephen has been convicted of a sex offence against Samuel. I don’t really think about it. I thought Samuel had moved on. I’ve not spoken to him for months, but that’s on his part, not mine.”

This tragic story highlights the devastating impact of betrayal and the long-lasting scars left by abuse, as well as the complex emotional struggles faced by victims and their families in the aftermath of such crimes.