Leeds child rapist caught after girl's DNA found on his underwear

Calum Stephenson denied any wrongdoing following his arrest, claiming the 12-year-old girl had made the allegations up, but remained silent after being confronted with the evidence.

He was jailed for a total of nine years at Leeds Crown Court this morning after admitting two counts of rape and one of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Judge Neil Clark told him: “You understand how serious these offences are. They are cruel offences. You appear to show limited insight into what you have done.”

Prosecutor Tom Holland said that Stephenson, who was 19 at the time, had met the girl on the stairwell of a block of flats in June last year and asked her age, which she told him, before asking if she could keep a secret. He then sexually assaulted her.

A matter of weeks later, he sexually assaulted her again. The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, confessed what had happened to a third person and the police were called. She said she was reluctant to do as he said but did not want to upset him.

Stephenson, of High Ridge Avenue, Rothwell, denied the allegations during his interview, then gave no comments when they said the victim’s DNA was found and the CCTV footage from the stairwell of the flats supported her statement.

Mr Holland said: “It’s plain that she was an d still is a vulnerable child.” In a victim impact statement she said she avoids going out, has flashbacks and sometimes feel responsible for what happened.

She said: “The trauma is going to be with me forever.”

Mitigating for 20-year-old Stephenson, Sean Smith said he was immature but had admitted the offences at the first opportunity when the case came to court. He said that he had a bright future but which now lay in tatters because of his own actions.

He was given an eight-year jail sentence, and a one-year extended period on licence.

Stephenson was given a lifelong sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and will have to sign on the se offender register for life also.

Detective Inspector Carl Morrison, of Leeds District Safeguarding Unit, said: “Stephenson preyed on this vulnerable young girl to sexually exploit her, and his depraved actions have understandably had a lasting traumatic impact on the victim.

“This was a complex and challenging investigation where painstaking work by the officer in the case, DC Rall, was able to secure the vital DNA and CCTV

evidence that ultimately led to Stephenson’s guilty pleas and conviction for these offences.

“Despite her young age and the trauma she was put through, the victim has showed real bravery in coming forward initially and throughout the investigation.

“We hope that seeing Stephenson brought to justice will provide some level of reassurance to her and her family as they continue to move on with their lives.”