Paedophile has jail term slashed by appeals judge
SENTENCE WAS ‘EXCESSIVE’ COURT RULES
A MAN who sexually molested a young boy in a barn more than 30 years ago has seen his jail term reduced by top judges.
Stephen Paul Jewitt, 53, was locked up for ten years at Hull Crown Court in April after he was convicted of indecency with a child and another serious sex crime.
Jewitt of Station Road, Hutton Cranswick, was a teenager when he preyed on his ten-year-old victim, his original trial heard.
In a statement the victim said Jewitt’s crimes had a “profound impact” on him, which led to problems with heavy drinking, gambling and mood swings.
The judge who jailed Jewitt said the victim suffered “severe psychological harm” and there had been “some grooming behaviour”.
Jewitt denied any wrongdoing at his original trial, claiming it was not him, but a jury took just 35 minutes to convict him.
At Jewitt’s original trial at Hull Crown Court, prosecutor John Thackray had said the victim did not report the abuse until 2016, because his mother lived in the area and he “did not want to cause her any embarrassment”.
When he did come forward, he had forgotten the name of his abuser, but could say he was “connected to a barn where it took place” in the East Riding. He then gave a description of the attacker.
After giving police his account of what had happened, the victim, who was aged about ten at the time, looked at a Facebook page of someone who lived in the area and saw Jewitt’s name on it.
“As soon as he saw it he recognised the name of his abuser,” Mr Thackray said.
But, despite that, his lawyers at London’s Court of Appeal on Friday argued his jail term was too harsh for his crime and his sentence should be reduced.
There was no grooming involved, they said, and the sentence did not reflect his relative youth and immaturity at the time.
Judge Mark Brown said Jewitt’s crimes were “serious” and had a “significant, profound impact” on the victim.
He told the court: “However, we do consider there is force in the submissions that there was no grooming behaviour used against the victim. A sentence of ten years was manifestly excessive,” concluded the appeal judge, who was sitting with two others.
“A sentence of seven years was appropriate, also reflecting his level of maturity when the offences were committed and other matters argued on his behalf.”
Allowing the appeal, Judge Brown reduced Jewitt’s jail term from ten years to seven.