Child sex offender jailed for 12 years

A child sex offender in Staffordshire has been jailed for more than a decade. 

Stephen Sterry, 63, of Imingham, East Lincolnshire, was sentenced to 12-years imprisonment at Stafford Crown Court yesterday (Thursday 19 June) after he was previously found guilty of 11 counts of indecent assault of a girl.

The historic offences happened a number of years ago in Tamworth.

An investigation was launched into Sterry in 2019 after one of the survivors bravely came forward and told us what had happened.

We worked tirelessly to capture all of the evidence possible and to support the survivors during this time, eventually securing the charges against him and taking him to court.

As part of his sentencing, he was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and a restraining order against the survivors.

Sergeant Joanne Kirkland, from our public protection unit, said: “Through the sheer bravery of the survivors in this case, we’ve been able to put another dangerous sex offender behind bars. 

“I hope this shows that we are committed to delivering outcomes for victims of sexual offences and we’re here to support you. No matter how long ago or recent the offences may have been, we want to hear from you and we want to take action against those responsible.”

If you’re a survivor and you feel ready to talk to us, call 101 or use Live Chat on our website.