Respected former deputy head jailed for abusing girl
ARESPECTED deputy head teacher and member of the community groomed and sexually abused a “naive” young girl, a court has heard.
Terrence John Stephens subjected the girl to repeated indecent assaults, on one occasion plying her with drink before assaulting her.
But when confronted by police he sought to blame his young victim, saying she had been flirting with him.
Stephens was deputy headmaster of Llanelli’s St John Lloyd Catholic Comprehensive School at the time of the offending, though the girl he assaulted was not connected to the school.
Swansea Crown Court heard that the abuse took place during the late 1990s. Stephens repeatedly kissed, touched and assaulted the girl at a number of different locations over a
period of months.
Helen Randall, prosecuting, said on one occasion he gave the teenager alcohol before trying to kiss her and then sexually assaulting her. The offending only came to light in 2017 when the woman went to police.
The court heard Stephens initially denied the allegations, claiming she had been flirting with him and initiating sexual contact. When police searched his computer that found one indecent image of a girl aged around four or five pulling her underwear down, and uncovered evidence in his internet browser history that he had been searching for material involving young girls.
Miss Randall read details of a statement from the victim in which she described the impact the defendant’s behaviour had on her life.
She said she had led a “sheltered” life as a child, having never even kissed a boy before, and did not understand what Stephens was doing to her.
Stephens, 70, of Glynderi, Tanerdy, Carmarthen, had previously pleaded guilty to eight counts of indecent assault and one count of possessing an indecent image of a child when he appeared in the dock. No evidence was offered in regard to two other charges, and formal not guilty verdicts were entered. He has no previous convictions.
James Hartson, for Stephens, said his client had been a teacher for 30 years and had taught at schools throughout England and Wales, including serving as deputy head at two of them.
He said the defendant was a “dedicated member of the church” and respected member of the community, and many people had written references to the court on his behalf which painted “a very different picture” of him.
The barrister said perhaps the greatest punishment Stephens could receive was knowing that his reputation “now lies in absolute tatters for the worst possible reasons”.
Judge Keith Thomas sentenced him to a total of 54 months. The defendant will serve half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. Stephens will also be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life, and he was made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order to control his internet use and limit his access to girls under 18.