Stephen Chrystal

Stephen Chrystal, 53, of Grove Lane, Hackney, Matlock, Derbyshire, was sentenced at Durham Crown Court on Friday, 22 May 2026 to 12 months' imprisonment for historic sexual offences against children. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

Chrystal was convicted following a two-week trial at Durham Crown Court. On 13 March 2026, a jury found him guilty on 20 out of 21 counts. The charges included five counts of indecent assault on a boy under the age of 14 years and 16 counts of inciting a boy under 14 years of age to commit an act of gross indecency.

The offences took place in County Durham between September 1987 and January 1994, when Chrystal was a teenager. He sexually abused young children, undressing them, instructing them to kiss each other and perform sexual acts on other children, touching them, and requiring them to perform sexual acts on him. Chrystal threatened his victims verbally and struck some of the children if they did not comply.

The allegations were reported to police in 2021 after one victim came forward. Chrystal was arrested at his home in June 2022. He denied all charges and pleaded not guilty. Victims described dreading seeing the defendant and 'freezing' upon hearing his name. The court heard that the abuse left the victims traumatised for life.

Chrystal, a divorced father of two and business owner, had moved to Derbyshire in 1996, living first in Alfreton before settling in Matlock. The case was prosecuted following an investigation by Durham Police, with proceedings heard at Durham Crown Court.