PORTSLADE CHILD SEX OFFENDER STEPHEN POTTER SENTENCED FOR ABUSE IN BRIGHTON AND EAST SUSSEX

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community, Stephen Potter, a 36-year-old man from Portslade, was sentenced to seven years in prison for the abduction and sexual assault of a seven-year-old girl. The incident took place in March and involved a heinous act that has been described as “every parent’s nightmare.”

According to court proceedings, Potter targeted the young girl while she was attending a family gathering at a town hall in East Sussex. He approached her in the foyer, despite her initial attempt to avoid strangers by stating she had been told not to talk to unfamiliar people. Potter then falsely claimed to be someone she could trust, saying, “I am not a stranger, I am John, come with me.” Without warning, he seized her around the waist and forcibly carried her away from the safety of the family event.

Witnesses and parents nearby began to realize that the girl was missing, and her distraught father eventually found her in the foyer, visibly upset and covered in mud. She was crying and appeared distressed, with her clothes wet, mud on her leg, twigs tangled in her hair, and scratches on her arms and legs. The young girl recounted that a man had taken her and made her lie down, which was corroborated by medical examinations that confirmed she had been sexually abused.

Following the assault, Potter led the girl into a deserted area of scrubland near an industrial estate, where the abuse occurred. The girl’s parents, alarmed by her disappearance, searched the vicinity and eventually located her in the foyer, where she was visibly shaken. The police were called, and forensic evidence linked Potter to the crime through semen samples that matched his DNA.

Potter’s arrest followed swiftly after the evidence was collected. During the trial, prosecutor Philip Katz QC described the incident as “every parent’s nightmare,” emphasizing the severity of the crime. Judge Richard Brown, presiding over the case at Lewes Crown Court, sentenced Potter to seven years in prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender for life. The judge condemned Potter’s actions, stating that he had taken the young girl to “gratify his perverted sexual desires.”

It is noteworthy that this case followed a previous legal incident involving Potter. In February, he was acquitted of charges of rape and kidnapping related to a separate incident where a 16-year-old girl claimed he had taken her three miles along Brighton seafront at knifepoint, tied her up with her shoelaces, and raped her twice. Although Potter admitted to having sex with her, he insisted that she had consented to the acts.

Judge Brown’s sentencing underscores the court’s stance on such heinous crimes, emphasizing that offenders like Potter will face strict penalties and little mercy for their actions. The case has left a lasting impact on the local community in Portslade, Brighton, and East Sussex, highlighting the importance of vigilance and child protection in the area.