Pensioner who previously sent explicit images to ‘14-year-old girl' is accused of breaching court order
Standing in the dock of Ballymena Magistrates' Court, where he represented himself, Stephen Ford Hutchinson (70) was charged with breaching his SOPO on April 7 this year.
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Belfast Telegraph
13-07-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Unmasked: The Co Antrim woman who tried to stop us exposing her as sex offender
After Helen Louisa Fry was convicted of breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (Sopo), her solicitor asked that the 45-year-old be allowed to remain anonymous.
Daily Record
30-06-2025
- Daily Record
Paedophile who raped children in Scots care homes caged for 15 years
Edward Stanton, 73, who has a prolific history of committing child sex abuse crimes, has been caged again. A convicted paedophile who abused and raped children as young as six in Scottish care homes has been caged again for 15 years. Edward Stanton, 73, was jailed at the High Court in Aberdeen today. The beast was found guilty of 11 charges, including rape, sexual assault and indecent assault to injury and danger to life, following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow. The court heard how Stanton, originally from Liverpool, used his employment in care homes to inflict terror on ten young victims, aged between six and 22, between May 1985 and April 1994. Some of the youths were targeted by the monster while he was employed as a manager at Bellshill Children's Home in North Lanarkshire. Others were abused during his position as a carer at Wooddean Children's Home in Bothwell, and Flemington House in Uddingston. Stanton was found guilty of the crimes in May. In addition to the jail sentence, the beast's name has been added to the sex offenders register indefinitely. Fiona Kirkby, Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offences, said: 'Edward Stanton systematically abused children, who should have been safe under his care, for almost a decade. 'He exploited his position of trust and power while inflicting trauma on vulnerable young people, who continue to deal with the consequences today. This prosecution would not have been possible without the victims giving evidence, and I thank them for their help in securing justice. 'The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal service is committed to robustly prosecuting non-recent allegations of abuse of children in care. I would urge anyone who has experienced similar offending to come forward and report it, regardless of how long ago the offences took place.' Stanton has a prolific history of committing child sex abuse crimes. In 1996, he was caged for 13 years for sexual offences committed against seven boys, aged between 10 and 13, in Liverpool. Then, in February 2013, he was jailed for possessing indecent images of children. Three years later, he was put back behind bars after repeating similar offences. He was caged again for two years in January 2018 for breaching his Sexual Offences Prevention Order and possessing further indecent images. In 2021, the notorious beast was found guilty of two further sex attacks on children at care homes in England. Liverpool Crown Court heard how he raped and molested youngsters in his care at the infamous St Vincent's home in Formby from 1976 to 1995. One victim was attacked by the creep when he returned from a period of home leave. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Stanton pretended to search him for cigarettes, then put his hand down his trousers and touched his genitals. On a second occasion, the victim was in a bathroom at St Vincent's when Stanton came in, touched his thigh, put his hand inside his pyjamas to grab his penis and performed a sex act on him. The impact of the abuse on the victim was so profound that he continues suffers from depression, relationship problems and feelings of shame as an adult. The long-lasting trauma of the "terrifying ordeal" continued to impact his life until he confided in his wife and reported the abuse in 2017, which led to Stanton's arrest in April 2018.
The Herald Scotland
30-06-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Man who abused children in Lanarkshire jailed for 15 years
Jurors heard how at least one boy tried to raise the alarm as to what was happening, but that the accusations were "brushed under the carpet". The abuse occurred at three different children's homes in Lanarkshire, which cannot be named for legal reasons. Stanton - now 73 - had been the manager at one and a carer at the other two between 1985 and 1994. Read More: He had denied the accusations during a trial at the High Court in Glasgow. But, he was found guilty of 11 charges after the jury heard distressing accounts of how the victims had suffered over the years. Following the verdicts, it emerged the predator was previously jailed for jailed for 13 years in 1996 for historical abuse of boys at a children's home in Merseyside. In 2021, he convicted of attacks on two other youngsters at the same establishment around that time. Stanton has also been jailed possessing indecent images of children and breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order. He was today/yesterday sentenced for these latest crimes by Judge Andrew Miller at the High Court in Aberdeen. The trial last month was told how Stanton was physically abusive to a boy as he repeatedly unleashed his violent temper. He then carried out sex attacks on a teenage girl including at a campsite in Dumfries. Stanton preyed on another victim while she was initially asleep. A then boy recalled how he was only young at the time, but knew what was happening was "not right". He was left feeling "scared" of Stanton. One resident was molested while in a tent. This boy had alerted a member of staff at the time, but he was "not believed". The now man said he and others were "vulnerable to be in a place of safety". But, he added reports of such matters appeared to be "brushed under the carpet". Another boy was also left terrified of Stanton who gave him money to effectively buy his silence. A further victim remembered speaking to staff, but "nothing was done". In his closing speech to jurors, prosecutor Scott McKenzie said one then resident recalled Stanton as initially being "nice" and that he had never previously had anyone show him any attention. But, the violent bully soon showed his "true colours" by repeatedly punching and kicking him. One girl was aged around seven when Stanton targeted her - he went on to rape this youngster. The final victim on the indictment had only been at the children's home where Stanton was then based for two nights, but he was still able to take advantage of her. She has been left suffering from "flashbacks". Stanton was convicted of charges of rape, numerous indecent assaults, lewd and libidinous behaviour as well as physical attacks.
