Stuart Sharples jailed for sexual activity with a child

Stuart Sharples (27/11/84) has been sentenced to 32 months in prison and he will have to sign the Sex Offender’s Register indefinitely after he pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child.

Sharples was sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court today (Thursday 30 January).

Sharples, a girls’ football coach of Jubilee Road, Middleton embarked on a sexual relationship with a 15 year old girl he had been tutoring.

The pair first met when Sharples was a girls’ football coach at Hopwood Hall College in Middleton. It is understood the pair met in May or June 2013.

Outside of football lessons, the two struck up a friendship and exchanged text messages. As well as football coaching, Sharples offered to help the girl with her studies. The girl’s parents objected to the offer and confronted him. Sharples claimed that he was genuinely offering his help with no ulterior motive.

Despite her parents objections, the girl and Sharples remained in contact and embarked on a sexual relationship in early October 2013. A few weeks after the relationship started, the girl’s parents discovered a number of love letters sent by Sharples that clearly showed the pair were in a sexual relationship.

Sharples was then arrested and admitted during a police interview that he had been in a sexual relationship with the teenage girl and that he knew she was under the age of consent and what he was doing was wrong.

Detective Constable April Hopwood said: "In the strictest sense, this was a consensual sexual relationship but we need to be absolutely clear that, by law, anyone under the age of 16 cannot give their consent to sexual relations. During interview, Sharples admitted he had received training about safeguarding issues from his employers, so he was well aware of the law but still he chose to break it.

"Sharples had a position of responsibility and trust as the girls' football coach and sadly he abused the trust that was placed upon him. As a man nearly twice the age of this girl, he should have put a stop to any relationship before it escalated and because of his training, he was well aware of his duty to protect this girl but it would appear he instigated much of the relationship, pursuing her and sending her love letters and gifts.

"I hope this case sends out a warning to anyone else who holds a position of such trust and is tempted to embark on a sexual relationship with someone who is not old enough to give their consent.

"Whatever your personal feelings may be, you are breaking the law and you will be placed on the Sex Offender's Register. So, I would advise such people to think twice, put the needs and welfare of these young people who are attracted to older men and women first and do the right thing otherwise you will have to live with the consequences for the rest of your life."