ELLESMERE PORT MAN STEVEN RUSHWORTH SENTENCED TO 13 YEARS FOR CHILD RAPE AND INDECENT ASSAULT IN CHESTER

Steven Rushworth, a man from Ellesmere Port, has been sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison after admitting to serious sexual offenses committed against a young girl in Chester during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The court proceedings took place at Warrington Crown Court on Friday, October 28, where Rushworth, aged 62, appeared to face charges that spanned over a three-year period.

According to court records, the offenses occurred between October 1979 and December 1982, during which Rushworth indecently assaulted a girl under the age of 10. The details of the case revealed that the abuse involved multiple instances of indecent assault, as well as a rape, which significantly impacted the victim’s life. Rushworth’s actions were described as grooming behavior, where he used gifts such as sweets and toys to manipulate the young girl, who was only seven years old at the time.

Rushworth’s criminal history is extensive. He was previously convicted of a murder committed in 1968, when he was just 18 years old. The victim in that case was Agnes Cresswell, aged 83. Following his conviction, Rushworth was incarcerated but was later released in 1975 under the provisions of the 1963 Mental Health Act, on a life license. He was eventually granted an absolute discharge under the same act, after being deemed no longer a threat to society.

After his release, Rushworth moved to Hoole, Chester, where he lived with a woman. It was during this period that he groomed her young daughter, leading to the charges he faced in 2011. The court heard that Rushworth had been on bail since 2009, awaiting trial for these allegations. He pleaded guilty to four counts of indecent assault and one count of rape just hours before his trial was scheduled to commence.

During the sentencing, Judge David Hale expressed his disappointment and condemnation of Rushworth’s betrayal of trust. The judge highlighted that Rushworth’s grooming involved giving the young girl sweets and toys, which facilitated the abuse. He emphasized that the impact of Rushworth’s actions continues to affect the victim’s life to this day.

In his defense, Patrick Thompson argued that Rushworth had not offended for nearly three decades and was in very poor health, being the sole carer for his partner who had recently suffered a second stroke. Despite these mitigating factors, the court decided on a substantial custodial sentence. Rushworth was sentenced to two years for the indecent assault charges and 11 years for the rape, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the lasting harm caused to his victim.