A man has been handed a 17-year sentence for the repeated rape and sexual abuse of two young children.
A South Yorkshire Police detective-led investigation, launched last year, led to the successful prosecution of 32-year-old Michael Stevens.
Officers first arrested Stevens on 26 August 2023 after one of his victims bravely reported the abuse they had suffered. During his arrest, a property search led to the recovery of mobile devices that Stevens had attempted to conceal from police at his address. Evidence on the phones led officers to identify a second victim.
Forensic examination of the devices saw officers discover reams of digital evidence of indecent images of children and rape and sexual abuse against the two girls over a number of years, who were aged just three and nine at the time when the abuse started.
Following this, officers further arrested Stevens in November 2023 on suspicion of possession of indecent images of children and voyeurism.
Detective Constable Wendy Howe, from the Sheffield Protecting Vulnerable People team, said:
“I would like to commend the bravery of the young girls in coming forward to report the horrific abuse they suffered at the hands of Stevens.
“It is thanks to their bravery and support throughout the investigation that Stevens will now spend the next 17 years of his life behind bars.
“The rape and sexual abuse that Stevens subjected his victims to will no doubt leave severe and lasting damage on them, but I hope that this result offers the girls the chance to begin to rebuild their lives.
“I’m pleased that we have secured a lengthy prison sentence and that we have removed a dangerous and abusive man from the streets.”
On Friday (15 November), Stevens, of Watson Road, Worksop, was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to 16 years in prison and one year on licence, and handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and Restraining Order against his victims.
Stevens had previously pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at the same court to five counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, one count of rape of a child under 13, eight counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of a child, one count of voyeurism, and one of inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.
Please remember that victims of sexual offences are legally entitled to life-long anonymity, and it is a criminal offence to reveal any information that would identify them.
