Child sex abuse man starts jail sentence
Thursday, 19th September 2002.
A HAVERHILL man was today starting a jail sentence after a jury convicted him of child sex abuse.
Steven Hawkins, 43, of Feltwell Place, had denied four charges -- two of indecent assault and two of inciting a child to commit an act of gross indecency.
The trial began at Ipswich Crown Court on September 5 -- and yesterday the jury found him guilty on all four charges.
After the verdicts were announced, defence lawyer James Wilson told the judge that Hawkins wished to be sentenced immediately without the normal few weeks delay for a report from the probation service.
The judge went away for a few minutes to consider the sentence, then returned to hand down two-and-half-year jail sentences on each charge, to run concurrently.
He also directed that Hawkins should be on the sex offenders' register for an "indefinite" period.
The court had heard that the girl was nine, 10 and 11 during the period covered by the charges -- June 30, 1998, to March 31 last year.
Steven Hawkins, 43, of Feltwell Place, had denied four charges -- two of indecent assault and two of inciting a child to commit an act of gross indecency.
The trial began at Ipswich Crown Court on September 5 -- and yesterday the jury found him guilty on all four charges.
After the verdicts were announced, defence lawyer James Wilson told the judge that Hawkins wished to be sentenced immediately without the normal few weeks delay for a report from the probation service.
The judge went away for a few minutes to consider the sentence, then returned to hand down two-and-half-year jail sentences on each charge, to run concurrently.
He also directed that Hawkins should be on the sex offenders' register for an "indefinite" period.
The court had heard that the girl was nine, 10 and 11 during the period covered by the charges -- June 30, 1998, to March 31 last year.
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