Paedophile David Stewart (23/09/1999) of Fordhouse Lane, Birmingham has been sentenced to nine years in prison after admitting to two counts of engaging in sexual conduct with a minor under 16, meeting a child after sexual grooming, child abduction, and witness intimidation. He is also bound by an indeterminate Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order.
In August 2023, Manchester Children’s Services got a report from a parent expressing grave worries regarding David Stewart’s inappropriate conduct towards her teenage daughter. Officers and partners within our multi-agency Complex Safeguarding Hub promptly initiated an investigation to comprehend the grave claims; concurrently, specialised agencies were assigned to protect the victim and her family, providing the necessary assistance and care.
The objective of our co-located, multi-agency Complex Safeguarding Hub is to ensure that upon receiving reports of potential child exploitation, all agencies can promptly collaborate to execute a tailored care plan while specially trained detectives initiate their investigation to identify and apprehend the offender.
The inquiry revealed that approximately in May 2023, David Stewart reached out to the victim, a 13-year-old female, via social media.
Over several months, he manipulated the young girl, severed her support networks, consistently enticed her away from her family, and subsequently sexually exploited her.
In September 2023, David Stewart was apprehended on allegations of sexual grooming. He was released on bail while investigators constructed a case, but he received a child abduction warning notice, which forbids him from contacting the victim or spending time with them. The purpose of these warnings is to protect vulnerable children from abuse and exploitation, serving as an auxiliary instrument for law enforcement to interrupt interactions between at-risk minors and predatory adults.
In December 2023, we obtained information indicating that Stewart remained in communication with the victim. Investigators determined that he had enticed her to the airport, and after a thorough examination of CCTV footage, they uncovered critical evidence of David Stewart sexually assaulting the girl.
A manhunt was initiated to locate David Stewart, who was promptly apprehended in Shropshire, West Midlands. He was returned to Manchester, where he was charged and remanded to mitigate any potential risk to others.
Detective Inspector Chris Chadderton from our Manchester Complex Safeguarding Hub stated: “David Stewart exploited and mistreated this young girl to gratify his own perverse sexual desires.” He persisted in his offences during the police inquiry, revealing his callous and audacious disposition; therefore, I am gratified that this sentence has been imposed and he is now incarcerated.
“I, and the entire partnership in our Complex Safeguarding Hub, would like to praise the victim for her courage in providing evidence in this case. Without her support, we would not have had the strong case that we built, which ultimately left Stewart with no choice but to plead guilty to his crimes.”
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.