July 2019

Victims of Leeds paedophile describe years of abuse and suffering

A paedophile has been locked up for more than 14 years for sexually assaulting two schoolgirls at his home in Leeds.

Stephen Curran faced his two victims across a courtroom as they bravely chose to take to the witness stand to describe the devastating impact of being sexually abused by him.

The youngest of the 65-year-old’s victims was just 11 years old when he preyed on her.

Leeds Crown Court heard how the girl was left in pain and felt humiliated after being abused on on multiple occasions.

The second victim was aged 15 when she was targeted by Curran and feared she was was going to be raped during the abuse.

The offences against the girls took place over a period of between three to four years.

After being arrested Curran accused both of his victims of being “compulsive liars” who had made the whole thing up.

Electronic devices were seized from his home and indecent images of children were found on them.

Forty of the images were at category A – the most serious level of offending.

Extreme images depicting sexual abuse of animals were also recovered.

Curran was released on bail but was then caught out by online paedophile hunter groups.

Curran sent sexually explicit messages to a profile he believed belonged to a 14-year-old girl called Ruby.

In fact, the profile had been created by paedophile hunter group Keeping Kids Safe.

He was arrested but refused to comment and was bailed again.

Curran went on to contact profiles he thought belonged to underage girls called Megan, Chelsea and Leanne.

He sent graphic sexual messages and vile pictures of himself.

Curran, of Greenmount Street, Beeston, pleaded guilty to four serious sexual assaults of a child under 13, sexual activity with a child and sexual activity in the presence of a child.

The former solder also admitted three offences of making indecent photographs of a child, possession of extreme pornographic images, two of attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act and one of attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child.

Both victims chose to attend court to read out victim statements at a hearing last month.

One of the victims, now an adult, said: “I feel like my dignity is not mine any more and he has taken it away.

“I wake up at night thinking he will come to my house.

“I am sick of feeling unsafe.”

The second victim said: “This person made me feel dirty and used.

“I do not think I will be able to trust anyone in my life because what he did was child abuse.

“I feel guilty even though I have done nothing wrong.

“My school work was massively affected and I had to take time off through not sleeping at night and being exhausted through the day.

“I feel like I have been trampled on.”

The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl QC, adjourned the earlier hearing so a report could be prepared by the probation service to assess if Curran should be categorised as a dangerous offender.

He imposed a sentence of 14 years and four months today, but warned Curran that he would only be released from custody if he was no longer considered a danger to children.

The judge praised both victims for finding the courage to tell the court about the abuse.

He told Curran: “They were brave to do that.

“What it brought home to me was the enduring affect of your behaviour.

“It is clear to me you have a complete lack of insight in to your offending.”

Curran was told he must go on the sex offender register for life.

Marcus Waite, mitigating, said Curran had served as a soldier in Northern Ireland and Germany during the 1970s and suffered from post traumatic stress disorder as a result of his experiences

He said Curran had no previous convictions and would struggle to cope in prison due to health problems including diabetes and lung disease.