Steven Oates/Monteith – Whitley Bay

March 2016

Paedophile walks free from court 

A paedophile has escaped a prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl and exposing himself to a 10-year-old girl

35-year-old Steven David Oates who also uses the surname Monteith of Priory Avenue, Whitley Bay pleaded guilty to:

• Sexual assault on a child under the age of 13

  Engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child under the age of 13

The court heard that Oates was babysitting a neighbour’s nine-year-old daughter whilst the mother went to attend an important appointment. The girls mother told police that she considered him to be trustworthy as he looked after his disabled sibling.

Oates put a DVD on for the child and sat next to her to watch it. It was at this time that Oates sexually assaulted the terrified girl by placing his hands down her trousers. He repeatedly molested the girl until she ran out of the room and locked herself in the bathroom.

The young girl told her school teacher two weeks after the sickening attack after members of the NSPCC visited the school to talk to the pupils about the ‘Speak out, Stay safe’ campaign

The court heard that a second victim – a 10-year-old girl – was bribed with a bag of crisps by Oates to look at his penis after he exposed himself in front of her.

Oates originally denied both offences but two weeks before his trial was to begin, he pleaded guilty to the charges he faced, which meant the young victims did not have to endure a trial.