STEPHEN CHESTER FROM PENGE SENTENCED FOR REPEATED RAPE IN CROYDON

In a harrowing case that has shocked the community, Stephen Chester, a resident of Otford Close in Penge, was convicted of heinous crimes involving the sexual assault of an eight-year-old girl. The incidents took place during his stay with a family in Croydon between December and January, where he first attacked the young girl in her own home.

According to court reports, Chester, who was 28 years old at the time and is known by the nickname 'Rambo,' targeted the girl while she was in her pajamas, engrossed in a computer game in the living room. The assault was described by the victim as 'nasty and disgusting.' During the attack, her younger brother unexpectedly entered the room, witnessing the distressing scene. In an attempt to silence the children, Chester handed them money, instructing them to buy sweets and to keep quiet about what had happened, warning them not to tell their mother.

The horror did not end there. On March 19, Chester returned to the girl’s bedroom and committed a second assault. This time, her 17-year-old sister entered the room and refused Chester’s offer of money to keep silent, which prevented him from continuing his abuse. The court heard that Chester, who previously had no criminal record and was considered a man of good character, immediately surrendered himself to the police at Croydon police station after the incident.

Prosecutor Julius Capon highlighted the profound impact on the victim and her family, noting that the girl’s mother reported significant changes in her daughter’s behavior since the assaults. The child had become aggressive, rude, cheeky, and bad-tempered. She was also experiencing serious sleep difficulties and had difficulty coping with the trauma.

During the trial, defense lawyer Pieter Briegel emphasized that Chester did not groom the girl and had no prior history of sexual offenses. He pointed out that the offenses did not involve violence and sought to mitigate the severity of the sentence.

Chester pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, and on August 4, he was sentenced to a minimum term of four years and 47 days in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for life. Judge Warwick McKinnon, presiding over the case, condemned Chester’s actions, stating, 'It is the most dreadful thing to violate an innocent child, not once, but twice.'

The judge also condemned Chester’s attempts to cover up his crimes through bribery and coercion, emphasizing the substantial harm inflicted on the victim. He expressed concern about the risk Chester posed to the public and justified the imposition of a public protection sentence. A parole board will determine when Chester may be eligible for release, but for now, he remains incarcerated, serving a sentence that reflects the gravity of his crimes.