Locations
Spondon, Derbyshire, DE21
Description
A man has been convicted of multiple child sex offences today (Monday 2 March).
Christopher Shepherd, 43, of Spondon, Derbyshire, was found guilty by a jury at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court of one count of rape of a girl under 13, one count of sexual assault of a girl under 13 and one count of meeting a girl under 16 following grooming.
During the trial, Shepherd pleaded guilty to three counts of making an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child.
Our investigation found that Shepherd had been speaking to a number of girls online between 2021 and 2022. He would send and receive indecent images in the conversations with the victims.
He arranged to meet one of the victims. He picked her up in his car and raped her.
After Shepherd’s offending was reported to us in 2022, we arrested him. Officers from our child protection team worked tirelessly to support the survivors and to build the evidence against him.
Based on the strength of this evidence, and the bravery of the survivors, Shepherd was found guilty in court today.
He has been remanded ahead of his sentencing date at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday 20 April.
Detective Inspector Adam Goodger, from our child protection team, said:
“I’m pleased that we have been able to achieve this conviction today and make sure that Shepherd was not able to escape his offending.
“We are determined to take robust action against those responsible for these offences in Staffordshire and to seek the toughest possible punishment in court.”