Peterborough man who sexually abused girl, 7, given community service

Stephen Hasdell, 43, of Watergall in Bretton, Peterborough, was arrested in October 2016 after allegations of historical sexual abuse were made against him dating back to the 1980s.

The victim, who was seven-years-old at the time of the abuse, told police how Hasdell would force her to engage in sexual activity with him, believing she would get into trouble for not behaving if she didn’t do as she was told.

Hasdell, who was 14 or 15 at the time of the offences, denied the allegations but was found guilty of one count of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14 following a trial at Cambridge Crown Court in March.

Today (Friday, 11 May) he appeared at the same court and was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work, made subject of a five-year restraining order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years.

DC Rachael Ryan said: “This offence has had a huge impact on the victim throughout her life. Both the victim and her family have shown great courage and dignity throughout the whole process and I hope she is now able to find some closure from this traumatic period in her life.”

Following the trial Hasdell was cleared of three separate charges of indecent assault on a girl.

For information and advice around child protection, including recent and historical sexual abuse, please visit the force website www.cambs.police.uk/childprotection. If you are worried about a child, you should call us on 101, or if you think a child is at immediate risk of abuse please call us on 999.