Neil Stewart, the Salterbeck Paedophile from West Cumbria, who lured and subsequently sexually assaulted a teenage boy, has received a prison sentence from a judge who declared, “You are a paedophile.”
Carlisle Crown Court examined the particulars of Neil Stewart’s sexual abuse of the girl as he received his sentence today.
Neil Stewart, 41, previously acknowledged a charge of engaging in sexual activity with a minor. The prosecution asserted that evidence indicated he had shown no remorse for his offences, instead attempting to unjustly attribute guilt to the victim as a means of self-justification.
In an impact statement, the victim told of her life being torn apart and of feeling suicidal in the aftermath.
She spoke of being initially anxious to report what Neil Stewart had done. “I didn’t think there was anything I could do as I didn’t think anyone would believe me over him,” she had said.
She also described feeling alone and not wanting to leave her house.
The teen’s mother had also penned a moving statement, describing the ordeal as torture and of it taking a massive toll.
Paedophile defence solicitor Isabella Denn-White, mitigating, insisted that Neil Stewart, of Poole Road, Salterbeck, was remorseful. “He knows what happened was unacceptable, knows there is no way to justify it and knows it was completely wrong. He is extremely ashamed of what went on. It is his fault,” said the barrister.
Ms Denn-White suggested that the looming prison sentence could be suspended so that Neil Stewart could instead work with professionals to rehabilitate himself and protect the public in the future. He had no previous convictions and was backed by several character references.
However, Judge Michael Fanning (one of the good ones) concluded that only immediate imprisonment was appropriate, imposing a term of four years and six months.
The Judge said that Neil Stewart had treated the girl as a sexual object in carrying out deviant criminal conduct. “The damage to somebody who has been abused in this way, well, it’s irreparable. She won’t get over it,” Judge Fanning told Neil Stewart.
The judge highlighted one character reference author who had expressed disbelief that Neil Stewart’s name was now on the sex offenders’ register. Judge Fanning concluded: “You preyed on her. You are a paedophile, and you are rightly on that (register).”
Neil Stewart must comply with sex offender register notification requirements indefinitely.
He will also likely be banned from working with children and vulnerable people. Neil Stewart will be the subject of a future application for a prevention order placing strict conditions on his liberty.
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