Stephen Anderton, the Padiham Paedophile, who forcibly engaged in sexual intercourse with three underage girls and subjected a youngster to sexual exploitation has been convicted of his morally corrupt acts by a jury.
Stephen Anderton, aged 53, was convicted of five counts of rape and 15 other sexual offences against minors following a trial at Burnley Crown Court. The verdict was delivered on Friday, August 4.
Stephen Anderton’s mistreatment commenced in the 1980s and continued for four decades.
The youngest victims were only four years old when they became targets of abuse by Anderton, who was 53 years old at the time.
In 2018, the mother of one of the victims initially notified the police about Anderton’s offence involving a minor.
Subsequent enquiries conducted by investigators resulted in the identification of other victims.
Stephen Anderton, residing on Bank Street in Padiham, vehemently denied his abhorrent offences. However, following a trial, a jury found him guilty of the sustained mistreatment of a child.
He was detained and will be given a sentence at the same court on September 22.
DS Alex Rawsthorn, from the Blackburn Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, stated that Anderton was convicted of extremely heinous crimes.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the officer whose persistence and commitment have been resolute.”
“First and foremost, I would like to express my genuine appreciation and respect for the victims who have endured a painful period of waiting for justice.”
“They have demonstrated exceptional bravery throughout this case.”
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.