Stephen Jones

A 53-year-old man from West Cumbria, Stephen Jones, who worked as a duty manager at Workington’s Helena Thompson Museum, has been imprisoned following his admission of sexually abusing a vulnerable 14-year-old girl. The case, heard at Carlisle Crown Court, revealed a series of abusive incidents that profoundly impacted the young victim, leading to nightmares and a loss of her childhood innocence.

Prosecutor Steven Swift detailed how the abuse came to light when the girl's mother discovered inappropriate messages sent by Jones to her daughter on the teenager's mobile phone. Upon confrontation, the 14-year-old confirmed that Jones had sexually abused her six times. The victim had documented some of the encounters in her personal journal, describing Jones as 'creepy' and expressing her hatred for the sexual contact. Additionally, Jones sent the girl an indecent image of himself and requested photographs from her, resulting in one count related to the creation of an indecent child image among the eight allegations he admitted.

Jones, of Brierydale, Salterbeck, Workington, was previously of good character. His defence, represented by Brendan Burke, highlighted his early guilty pleas as the primary mitigating factor. Judge Michael Fanning acknowledged that the offending occurred over a relatively short period but emphasised the vulnerability of the girl and Jones's awareness of it. 'But she was a vulnerable girl and you knew that,' the judge stated, describing the impact on the victim as heart-breaking. She had 'retreated into herself' and suffered ongoing nightmares, with her childhood innocence irretrievably stolen.

The court imposed a custodial sentence of four years and eight months on Jones. He was also placed on the Sex Offender Register for life, subjected to a 15-year sexual harm prevention order, and barred from any contact with the victim via a restraining order. The case was reported by Whitehaven News, with details emerging from the Carlisle Crown Court proceedings.