Smallbridge man gets 22 years for child abuse

Guilty of horrendous assaults on children; Smallbridge man Mark Stevens.

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A Smallbridge man who was found guilty of 10 counts of child rape, seven of indecent assault, one of attempted rape and four counts of sexual activity with a child, has today been sentenced to 22 years in prison, with an extended licence of 10 years.

47-year old Mark Stevens, of Great Howarth, was sentenced alongside three other men for offences against the same six victims, five girls and one boy.

Stevens committed his first offence when he was 16 years old, against a four-year-old girl. The abuse continued for two years until she was six. All of his female victims were aged between four and eight years old when the abuse happened and he also sexually assaulted a 12-year-old boy.

When one of his victims was five years old, Stevens started taking the girl to the home of another of the offenders, 51-year old Keith Yates, of Dicken Green in Rochdale. The two men would watch pornographic films together before taking the child into the bedroom with them and forcing her to watch them while they had sex.

Yates was found guilty of gross indecency with a child and has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

A third offender, 28-year old Jeff Goodby from Darwin, became friends with Stevens five years ago. Stevens would introduce Goodby to some of his victims and he would rape them. The victims were aged between four and 12 years old when the attacks happened.

Goodby has been sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment after being found guilty of four counts of rape of a child under 13 years of age, rape of a child over 13 years of age and indecent assault.

Another of Mark Stevens' associates, 21-year old Tim Stevens, was given an indefinite hospital order. He was found guilty of rape of a child under 16 and two counts of sexual activity with a child.

All four men were ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life and are banned from working with children for life.

Detective Constable Jacky Abbott from Rochdale Child Protection Unit said: "Mark Stevens and his associates carried out horrendous assaults against their victims.

"The children were so young when the assaults happened that they would not even realise what was happening to them or that it was wrong.

"These men obviously pose a danger to children and we are pleased that their convictions will help to keep other children out of harm."

Anyone who has been a victim of rape or sexual assault can contact Greater Manchester Police on 0161 872 5050 or 999 in an emergency. GMP has specially trained officers in place to provide a first class response to victims and help support them through the criminal justice process.

St Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Manchester can also be contacted on 0161 276 6515. This provides a comprehensive and coordinated forensic, counselling and medical aftercare service to anyone in Greater Manchester who has experienced rape or sexual assault. Services are available on a 24-hour basis and people can access them either as a self-referral or via Greater Manchester Police.