Liam Stephen Wood

A child sex offender from Burton-on-Trent has been sentenced to nine years in prison following the brave disclosure by his victim. Liam Stephen Wood, aged 19, targeted a young girl under the age of 13, subjecting her to sexual exploitation through causing and inciting her to engage in sexual activity. Additionally, he produced indecent photographs of the child, compounding the severity of his crimes.

The case came to light in May 2024 when the survivor, a girl, courageously reported the abuse to a trusted individual. Staffordshire Police's child protection team promptly launched an investigation, gathering substantial evidence despite Wood's initial denials during police interviews. This evidence proved overwhelming, leading Wood to plead guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of causing or inciting a female child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and three counts of making indecent photographs of a child.

On 7 November 2024, at Stafford Crown Court, Judge [Name not specified in source] imposed a custodial sentence of nine years on Wood, accompanied by a five-year extended licence period. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely, issued with a ten-year restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim, and subjected to a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order to restrict his future behaviour and protect the public. PC Katie Neville from the child protection team commented on the case, stating: 'Wood admitted his offending in court once he was faced with overwhelming evidence, despite earlier trying to plead his innocence.' The investigation was conducted by Staffordshire Police, as detailed in their official news release dated 15 November 2024.

This sentencing underscores the authorities' commitment to pursuing child sex offenders rigorously, ensuring that survivors' voices are heard and justice is served. The full context of the offences highlights the predatory nature of Wood's actions, which exploited the vulnerability of a young child in his community.