November 2014
‘Devious and manipulative’ paedophile seduced single mum into sending him an indecent photo of a child
A CONVICTED “devious and manipulative” paedophile who seduced a single mum into fulfilling his twisted desires was jailed.
Hartlepool man Stephen Boyd, 46, contacted the mother of three on an internet dating website where she was looking for a lasting and fulfilling relationship.
He did not tell Catherine Hendricks, also 46, that he was on the Sex Offender’s Register for distributing and making indecent photographs of children.
Boyd won the trust of the woman and seduced her into sending him an indecent photograph of a child.
Prosecutor Shaun Dodds told Teesside Crown Court that she eventually sent him packing when he confessed that he had a sexual interest in young girls.
She then risked everything when she reported him to the police.
Boyd was arrested in possession of a stack of child porn, and the Stockton mum was also charged over the single picture.
Jailing Boyd, Judge Deborah Sherwin told him: “You are a sexual offender who is both devious and manipulative and you will go to any lengths to further your desires.”
Hendricks’ involvement led to her children being taken from her and they now live with their father and she is barred from seeing them.
The judge spared her from prison and she told her: “You are clearly a troubled individual and you need help.”
Mr Dodds said Boyd had used various names to evade discovery of his actions despite being on the Sex Offender’s Register which limited his activities and movements.
Jim Withyman, defending Hendricks, said it was her persistence which led to Boyd being brought to book and removed his threat to children and women like her.
She had handed police two mobile phones which held text messages from him.
She terminated the relationship after she accused him of playing mind games with her, and then she approached police officially and asked them if he was a sex offender.
She was told that nothing could be disclosed to her, but she persisted with informal approaches to other officers who eventually advised her to hand in her phones containing his text messages.
Paul Cleasby, for Boyd, said he should be given credit for his pleas of guilty, and he had not committed any indecent touching of children.
After his child porn conviction in January 2007 he had undergone a sex offender’s treatment programme, but he admitted that he had not participated enthusiastically.
Mr Cleasby added Boyd now recognised his difficulties and that he should show willingness to accept help.
Boyd, of Slake Terrace, Hartlepool, was jailed for three years and three months after he pleaded guilty to failing to comply with requirements, encouraging the commission of an offence,and possession of indecent photographs of children and extreme pornography in 2011.
He was also given an indefinite Sexual Offence’s Prevention order banning him from contact with girls under 16 and from unsupervised use of the Internet.
Hendricks, of Darlington Road, Hartburn, Stockton, was given a 15 months jail sentence suspended for two years with supervision after she pleaded guilty to taking an indecent photograph of a child.
