STEVE JEANS OF ALVASTON SENTENCED TO INDEFINITE JAIL FOR REPEATED RAPE OF 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN DERBY

In a case that has shocked the community of Alvaston and the wider Derby area, Steven Jeans, aged 43, was handed an indefinite prison sentence following his conviction for multiple counts of sexual assault against a young girl. The heinous crimes took place in Derby, where Jeans, a resident of Harvey Road in Alvaston, was found guilty of grooming and repeatedly raping a girl who was only 12 years old at the time.

Jeans was sentenced at Derby Crown Court in October of the previous year after he admitted to three counts of rape. The court imposed a sentence of imprisonment for public protection, setting a minimum term of ten years before he could be considered for parole. This decision was based on the severity of his actions and the danger he posed to society.

Following his conviction, Jeans challenged his sentence at London's Criminal Appeal Court. His legal representatives argued that the indefinite term was too harsh and that he should not have been subjected to such an open-ended punishment. However, the appeal was swiftly dismissed by three of the most senior judges in the country, who emphasized the unpredictability of Jeans' future risk to the public.

Mr. Justice Singh, presiding over the appeal alongside Lord Justice Moses and Mr. Justice Macduff, clarified that Jeans had committed his crimes when the victim was just 12 years old. The court heard that Jeans initially denied any wrongdoing when allegations surfaced but later admitted to the offences.

The judges described Jeans as a “predatory offender,” highlighting his grooming and manipulative behavior towards the young girl for his own sexual gratification. A probation officer testified that the impact of Jeans' crimes would be long-lasting and profoundly damaging to the victim. Additionally, a psychiatric report indicated a serious risk that Jeans could cause further harm to children in the future.

Jeans' legal team argued that he should have received an extended sentence rather than the indefinite term, which could potentially mean lifelong imprisonment. Nonetheless, Mr. Justice Singh upheld the original sentence, affirming that the Crown Court judge was justified in imposing a sentence for public protection because Jeans was “clearly dangerous.”

The appeal court concluded that it was “simply not possible to predict if and when” Jeans would cease to be a danger to society, reinforcing the necessity of his indefinite detention. During the initial trial, Jeans admitted to raping the girl on five separate occasions when she was aged 11 and 12. The court was told that Jeans' victim initially tried to protect him and denied the allegations, but she eventually told the truth.

Judge Andrew Hamilton expressed his concern about Jeans' potential threat to young girls, emphasizing the gravity of his crimes and the importance of protecting the community from individuals like him.