STEWART GAVIN BEATEN IN SILVERDALE AFTER SEXUAL ASSAULT AT STOKE-ON-TRENT CROWN COURT

In March 2012, a disturbing incident involving Stewart Gavin, a 38-year-old man from Silverdale, resulted in a court hearing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Gavin was found guilty of sexually assaulting a young girl, an act that has shocked the local community and brought attention to issues of child safety and offender management in the area.

According to court proceedings, Gavin was accused of indecently assaulting the girl by touching her over her clothing. The court heard that the assault was brief but deliberate, occurring during a short window of time. The details revealed that Gavin's actions were carried out while he was heavily intoxicated, which the defense highlighted as a mitigating factor during sentencing.

Following the incident, Gavin was subjected to a violent retaliation from members of the community, who beat him up shortly after the assault. This act of vigilante justice underscored the community’s outrage and the serious nature of the offense.

Gavin, who previously resided on Chapel Street in Silverdale, pleaded guilty to the charges of sexual assault on a child. His legal representative, Joanne Wallbanks, emphasized that Gavin had no prior convictions related to sexual offenses. She also pointed out that Gavin struggled with alcohol dependency, which she claimed contributed to his behavior at the time of the incident.

Wallbanks further explained that Gavin had been in custody for five months, during which he lost his home after it was ransacked. This period of detention was part of the ongoing legal process and personal hardship he endured.

During the sentencing, Recorder Nirmal Shant QC addressed the court, stating that Gavin would be subject to a three-year community order, which includes three years of supervision and mandatory attendance at a sex offender training program. The judge clarified that the assault was a fleeting touch over the girl’s clothing, but nonetheless serious enough to warrant strict supervision.

Recorder Shant QC emphasized that the risk Gavin posed could be effectively managed through probation services, which would have an active role in overseeing his rehabilitation. As part of his sentence, Gavin will be registered as a sex offender for a period of five years, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions aimed at protecting the community from future offenses.