John Staveley, a former football coach and ex-teacher, has been imprisoned following an inquiry into his exploitation of positions of trust to perpetrate historical sexual offences against minors.
John Staveley, 55, of Hale Hill Lane, Doncaster, perpetrated sexual abuse against two boys over a decade, commencing in the late 1990s.
The courageous testimonies of his victims, who endured a week-long trial following John Staveley’s not guilty plea to 12 charges, resulted in justice being served, with Staveley receiving a nine-and-a-half year prison sentence at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, 27 September.
John Staveley was convicted of nine charges of gross indecency with a male under 14 years of age, two counts of indecent assault on a male under 16, and one count of instigating or inciting a male under 13 to engage in sexual behaviour.
John Staveley’s first victim reported his attacker’s crimes to the NSPCC in 2020, leading to Staveley’s arrest and a lengthy police investigation, which saw detectives gather crucial witness statements and screenshots of social media messages.
The victim came into contact with John Staveley through his role as a football coach and recalled how he was left traumatised.
His second victim told police of how John Staveley sexually abused him during a school trip, when Staveley was working as a primary school teacher.
Detective Constable Mike Tilley, from our Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, was the officer in charge of this case.
He said:
“John Staveley abused his position as a mentor and guide to young children in sports and educational settings.
“He should have been someone his victims were able to trust but instead he exploited them, took advantage of them and abused them for his own sexual gratification.
“I really want to commend his victims for coming forward and telling us about their harrowing and horrific experiences as children. Without their accounts, John Staveley wouldn’t be behind bars and where he belongs.
“I hope this case shows that it really is never too late to report sexual abuse. Even if decades have passed, we are here to listen to you, support you through the process and strive to secure justice on your behalf.”
As part of his sentence, Staveley has also been placed indefinitely on the Sex Offenders’ Register.
For more information on rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences, and how to report these crimes to police, please visit the dedicated section on our website: https://www.southyorkshire.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/advice/rape-sexual-assault-and-other-sexual-offences/.
Please remember that victims of sexual offences are granted automatic lifetime anonymity. It is a criminal offence to name them or share any information which may lead to them being identified and if you do this, we will take action.
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 111 (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.