Stephen Jennings ‘refused’ to cease his assault on the young girl despite her pleas, and now experiences ‘night terrors’ concerning the presence of a man at the foot of the bed.
A depraved paedophile, Stephen Jennings, left his victim with “night terrors” of a man positioned at the foot of her bed following several sexual assaults.
Stephen Jennings was sentenced to four years in prison on Friday after admitting to three counts of possessing indecent pictures and being convicted at trial for two attacks.
Philip Clemo, prosecuting, stated that the 39-year-old individual from Runcorn, Cheshire, originally molested his victim through her clothing, according to reports from the Liverpool Echo.
When she asked him to stop, “he refused” and assaulted her again, Chester Crown Court heard.
The abuse came to light when the child’s mother heard her using “inappropriate language”, and she then said what had happened.
It was reported to the victim’s school. In voluntary interview with Cheshire Police, Stephen Jennings denied what took place and any “sexual interest in children”.
That lie was left in tatters when a search of his two phones revealed 10 Category A abuse images – the most serious type and including one of a girl of about 10 years of age “in distress” being raped, 10 Category B and 178 Category C.
The court heard that at trial an adult witness gave evidence that while having sex with Stephen Jennings, he had called her “my good little 12-year-old girl” and she told him “don’t say that”.
An impact statement from his young victim’s mother said the little girl suffered psychological symptoms of abuse including “night terrors worrying about a man being at the end of the bed”.
Mr Clemo said features of the case showing higher levels of harm included the girl’s “extreme youth” and her vulnerability.
Stephen Jennings had no previous convictions, having never been caught before, and most recently lived with his parents on The Glen, Runcorn.
Gareth Bellis, defending, pleaded mitigation for the indecent image guilty pleas and urged the judge to consider the principle of “totality” when considering the overall sentence, with some aggravating features “subsumed” by others to avoid double counting.
He added a probation report assessed Stephen Jennings as a low risk of reoffending and was not suitable for the “dangerousness” provisions such as an extended sentence.
Mr Bellis said Stephen Jennings was “hitherto a man of good character who had worked for 20 years”.
Recorder Mark Ford sentenced Stephen Jennings to four years in prison, and placed him on a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and the sex offenders register, both for life or until further notice.
Sending Stephen Jennings down, Recorder Ford said: “It was clear to me from her evidence that she didn’t want you to touch her in this way and that her complaints to you didn’t prevent you from continuing.
“Despite the clarity with which (your victim) expressed herself, despite her young age, you maintained your denial of the conduct as was your right but the explanations you set out to provide rather unravelled during cross examination and the jury duly convicted you.”
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