Blackpool man convicted of historic sexual abuse jailed for eight years

Stuart Pyle was found guilty of inciting or causing a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity, and six counts of sexual activity with a child following a trial in March.

But during a sentencing hearing at Preston Crown Court on Monday, Judge Graham Knowles told the court Pyle still says his victim “is a liar” and brandished him a “dangerous offender who was a risk to other children”.

The court was told how Pyle, 47, began abusing the girl when she was around eight-years-old, in 2010, with the offences continuing for around two or three years.

The abuse started off as kissing, then led to touching on top of clothing, and eventually progressed to Pyle touching the girl underneath her clothes.

In two or three instances, he even forced her to hold his penis while he was urinating.

Stuart Pyle. Image: Lancs Police (Image: Lancs Police)

In mitigation for Pyle, Kimberley Obrusik said her client would be afforded no credit due to denying the charges and continues to this day to deny any wrongdoing.

She said: “While he doesn’t accept he is the reason or the author of the victim’s trauma, he knows she did suffer trauma and he hold no malice against her for what did happen to her.

“What Mr Pyle wishes to say is that he hopes, regardless of his lack of admission, that she can work through her traumas.”

In sentencing, Judge Graham Knowles QC said: “She did not realise what was being done to her was sexual assault, of course she didn’t, she was a child and was being abused and groomed by you.

“She could not tell another person for years and eventually she told her mother.

“She could not even tell the police or social services, not even when you were caught with indecent images of children in 2015.

“She felt fear, and feared if she reported you, you would come after her. She had panic attacks and had to quit three jobs.

“All of these things are because of offending by you.

“What you did was terrible. She had counselling but it was too painful.

“In her personal statement she talks of the shame she feels but that shame should be yours.

“All this tells me is that this is absolutely the kind of thing that happens when a child is sexually abused. The blame does not lie with her, it lies with you.

“Within years of committing the offences you took to the internet to satisfy your desires and were given a suspended sentence in 2015 for possessing indecent images.

“And when the offending against this victim was put to you, you refused to comment.

“She has had to wait 27 months since first being interviewed by the police until today.

“There’s no remorse on your behalf and you still say she’s a liar.

“This has caused her distress. You were manipulative and you groomed her.

“Are you a dangerous offender? There is a significant risk of serious harm being done by you to other children in the future, so yes, you are.”

Pyle, of Washington Court, Blackpool, was jailed for eight years and placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

He was also made subject of a sexual harm prevention order which stops him living at or being in the same house as a girl under the age of 16 without relevant supervision.