Bryon Shepherd

Bryon Shepherd, a 21-year-old man from Barnsley, was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old boy. The incident involved Shepherd making the child sit on his knee, placing his hands down the boy's trousers, and touching his penis. When the boy resisted, Shepherd offered him gaming tokens as a bribe to permit the abuse to continue, though the child refused.

The assault was interrupted when another individual returned to the property, bringing the incident to an end. Prosecutor Nicola Quinney detailed during the hearing on 16 November 2023 that the offence occurred while Shepherd was on bail for other alleged matters, with a condition prohibiting contact with anyone under 18. The boy's mother expressed profound distress in a court statement, feeling she had 'failed' her son and hoping he would not be 'haunted' by the trauma, allowing him to 'move on with his life'.

Shepherd pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault of a child under 13. He has prior convictions since 2013 for offences including possession of an offensive weapon, battery, and criminal damage. His defence, led by Thomas Penman, attributed some behaviour to Shepherd's autism spectrum disorder (ASD), citing impulsivity and thrill-seeking, such as running across the M1 motorway, and suggesting reduced culpability. However, Judge Graham Reeds KC rejected any clear link between the condition and the offending, noting Shepherd had coped well in custody due to its structure.

Judge Reeds addressed Shepherd directly, stating: 'You made him sit on your knee, put your hands down his trousers and touched his penis…you offered him money to allow it to carry on, well not real money but money for use on a game, but he refused.' He further remarked: 'You've not shown any remorse at all,' emphasising the harm caused to the child and his family. The judge deemed immediate imprisonment the only appropriate punishment.

The case was reported by The Star, with details from court proceedings at Sheffield Crown Court. Images provided by South Yorkshire Police (SYP) illustrate the offender and his criminal history.