‘DARE ME TO TAKE MY BOXERS OFF’
Pervert, 61, spared prison after sex chats with ‘girl, 12’
PERVERT Stephen Fernyhough sent naked pictures of himself to an undercover police officer posing as a 12-year-old girl.
The 61-year-old used the name ‘Boxers on’ to make contact with the ‘girl’ on the Chatiw social media site.
She told him she was ‘nearly 13’ but the communication continued and they moved to the Kik platform where he used the name ‘Steve58’. He asked her questions about school and told her he was wearing boxer shorts.
He sent an image of himself wearing a t-shirt and shorts and the contact continued for more than three months, from June to September 2022. He went on to send her fully-nude pictures and said he would send her a video of himself performing a sex act. Now Fernyhough has been sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, at Stoke-on-trent Crown Court.
Prosecutor Antony Longworth said: “He asked her what her friends thought of the pictures and which friends she would show them to. He discussed sending some explicit pictures and encouraged the decoy to ask to see a picture of him in boxer shorts.
“The decoy said her mum had confiscated her phone. He urged her not to get caught. He repeatedly suggested he would take his boxer shorts off and asked her to dare him to do it.
“He asked about her underwear and he sent naked pictures of himself. He asked for similar pictures in return.
“He sent further full body naked pictures of himself. He suggested he would send her video footage of him performing a sex act on himself.”
The court heard he was arrested on October 19, 2022. His phones were seized including a Samsung. Mr Longworth added: “There were searches for ‘young teen’ confirming his sexual interest in children.”
Fernyhough, of Tintern Street, Hanley, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child between June 7, 2022 and September 29, 2022.
Hamish Noble, mitigating, said Fernyhough understands the seriousness of the offence. He said the defendant had no previous convictions and had led a positive life. He has no mental health issues or addictions and has always worked.
But in February 2021 he was hospitalised with covid. He spent two weeks in a coma and a further three weeks in hospital before he was discharged.
Mr Noble said: “He was unable to work and it caused damage to his heart and lungs. It had impacted on his mental state. He resorted to online communications.”
He said the conversation was less explicit than in other cases of this nature. Mr Noble said: “He is embarrassed and ashamed of his conduct. He has heart disease and rectal cancer and has expressed high levels of motivation to engage with any sentence you pass.”
He added that Fernyhough’s wife is standing by him.
As part of the sentence Fernyhough must complete a rehabilitation activity requirement for 25 days and a £200 fine.
Judge Sally Hancox said: “The decoy indicated she was nearly 13. You are thoroughly ashamed of yourself. It is clear there is a good prospect of rehabilitation.
“You deny you sought or gained any sexual gratification. Your current health position makes for difficult reading.
“I will suspend the sentence because there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, the remorse shown and the strong personal mitigation, your personal health at this time.”
Fernyhough was placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years and was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for the same period. The judge made a deprivation order for the Samsung device.