STEPHEN NOBLE FROM HOOE PLYMOUTH CAUGHT IN SEXUAL INCIDENT WITH SCHOOLGIRL

In October 2012, a disturbing case emerged involving a man from Hooe, Plymouth, who was accused of coercing a young girl into engaging in sexual activity shortly after his marriage. The Plymouth Crown Court heard that Stephen Noble, aged 27 at the time, admitted to inciting a girl under the age of 16 to participate in sexual acts.

According to court proceedings, Noble had initially befriended the girl, who was not named for legal reasons, and she visited his residence in Hooe to converse. However, the situation took a sinister turn when Noble took her into a private room and performed a sexual act on her. The court was told that Noble quickly dressed and appeared to be alarmed when he believed he heard his wife approaching the house, prompting him to hurriedly leave the scene.

Judge Paul Darlow, presiding over the case, ordered that Noble undergo probation and psychiatric assessments. He also decided to release Noble on bail, citing an act of mercy, until the sentencing hearing scheduled for December 7.

At the start of the trial, Noble admitted to causing or inciting the girl to engage in sexual activity between February 1 and April 1 of the previous year. The court clarified that the girl involved could not be identified due to legal restrictions. Notably, Noble denied the alternative charge of rape, a plea that the prosecution accepted, leading Judge Darlow to instruct the jury to return a verdict of not guilty on that count.

Mary McCarthy, representing the Crown Prosecution Service, provided context to the jury, revealing that Noble had married in January 2011. She explained that Noble had met the girl socially prior to the incident. McCarthy highlighted that during periods when Noble’s wife was at work, phone records indicated frequent contact between Noble and the girl, including a day when they exchanged 143 text messages. She emphasized that the girl had never visited Noble’s home.

McCarthy further explained that on one occasion in February, after a disagreement with her parents, the girl sought to speak with Noble. He suggested they meet while she was in her school uniform, and although she initially changed, she decided to visit Noble. During their meeting, Noble initiated sexual activity, which the girl did not anticipate and found frightening. The court was told that they hurriedly dressed when Noble believed his wife was returning home, although no one was actually there.

Contact between Noble and the girl persisted, but police only became involved after a friend of the girl discovered a message on Facebook. Paul Rowsell, defending Noble, stated that his client was under psychiatric care and experiencing significant stress due to the case. The judge ordered Noble to return for sentencing on December 7, pending further assessments.