Former school worker from Kenton jailed for child sex offences
Stephen Thomas. (Photo: Met Police) - Credit: Archant
A former school worker has been jailed for 17 years over a string of sex offences committed against two underage girls.
Stephen Thomas, 30, of Sedgecombe Avenue, began a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl, from Hounslow, back in January 2015.
The girl’s father grew suspicious after spotting messages on her Facebook account and eventually caught Thomas assaulting her on June 8 of the same year.
Thomas was arrested that day and bailed pending further enquiries.
During the course of the investigation it was reported that Thomas previously had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl who was a pupil at the Hounslow school where he worked in 2008.
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He was no longer working there when he began assaulting his most recent victim.
Following a two-week trial, Thomas was found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child, one count of rape and one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity with a child in relation to the most recent victim.
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He was also convicted of a further two counts of sexual activity with a child relating to the 2008 relationship at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday January 20.
Thomas was today jailed for 17 years at the same court.
Detective Constable Phil Cotter, investigating officer from the Met’s Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said: “These offences committed by Thomas are of an extremely serious nature and have had a significant impact on the lives of the victims and their family.
“He committed these offences whilst in a position of trust and manipulated the victims to satisfy his own means.
“I hope the sentence gives the victims and their family some sort of closure for what has been a horrendous ordeal.”
An NSPCC spokeswoman said: “Thomas has shown himself to be a danger to children and we hope he receives rehabilitation while in prison to minimise the threat he poses on his release.
“His actions will have had a hugely damaging effect on his young victims and we hope they are receiving the support they need to recover.
“To educate children about abuse before it starts, NSPCC volunteers deliver hundreds of assemblies and workshops to children so they can spot the signs of abuse and know who to go to for help.
“Last year we spoke to 1,809 children in 16 schools in Brent.”
