Hartlepool pervert jailed for sexual abuse of teenage girl

Stephen Slimmings took photographs of the teenager while they were in bed together and videoed her while she was in the shower during his campaign of sexual abuse.

The full extent of the 38-year-old’s sexual depravity only came to light when he posted child sex abuse images only and police were able to trace his email address back to his North East home.

A search of his mobile devices revealed hundreds of child abuse images and a series of disgusting sexualised conversations with the teenager as well as the video of his American victim performing a sex act.

Teesside Crown Court heard how police were able to identify the first teenager by checking the tiles in the bathroom alongside the ones captured in his sickening video.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said the sexual abuse of the teenager had had a devastating impact on her and her family.

He added: “He had been in a sexual relationship with a teenage girl. The police recovered sexual conversations between the pair.

“Images of them lying together in a bed were also recovered – she appears to be topless.”

In a victim impact statement, the girl’s mother said her daughter was now withdrawn after losing most of her friends and appeared to have regressed as a result of the abuse inflicted on her daughter.

She added: “I feel like I have failed to keep my children safe.”

Stephen Slimmings (Image: Cleveland Police)

Slimmings, of Mickey Barron Close, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to inciting the sexual exploitation of a child aged 13-17; engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with girl 13 to 15; engaging in sexual communication with a child; making indecent images of children – 30 in Category A, the most serious, 51 in Category B and 536 in Category C; and possession of prohibited image of a child.

Stephen Constantine, mitigating, said his client had shown ‘contrition’ for his offending with his guilty pleas and was struggling mentally at the time of the offending in 2021-2022.

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Judge Paul Watson KC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, sentenced Slimmings to a total of four years and eight months for all charges.

He said: “The police seized your phone and it became clear that there were a number of indecent images of children on your phone.

“It was also clear there had been an inappropriate relationship between you and a teenage girl.”

Slimmings was also made subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and told to sign on the sex offenders’ register for life as a result of his convictions.