January 18, 2019 5.04 pm This story is over 71 months old

Paedophile jailed for abusing multiple young girls

He was jailed after a girl was found hidden away in his home
Matthew Stimson abused several young girls.

A 26-year-old man has been jailed for seven years for abusing young girls in Lincolnshire.

Mathew Stimson, from Burringham near Scunthorpe, abused several young girls in the area and even hid a girl in his home.

He has been given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and is required to sign on the sex offenders register for life after a string of offences over a year and a half.

Detective Sergeant John Shepherd said: “Matthew Stimson displayed a strong sexual interest in underage girls.

“He controlled and manipulated his victims through excessive messaging by text and social media, and effectively deprived them of a normal childhood, purely for his own sexual gratification.

“Since Matthew Stimson first came to police attention in 2017 we and our partner agencies tried to intervene early on, issuing child abduction warning notices to Stimson.”

Humberside Police said that Stimson did not listen to their warnings and even became more persistent in his offending.

“Even after being convicted of child abduction, and issued with a SHPO in May 2018, he continued to offend, displaying a level of contempt for the criminal justice system and his willingness to exploit children.

“He continued offending, all of the agencies involved supported the victims while we concentrated on gathering evidence to secure enough evidence to bring him back to court.

“On one occasion Matthew Stimson was arrested having been found hiding a young girl in his home.”

The force are pleased with the seven year sentence which was handed out today on Friday, January 18.

“I am very pleased with the outcome today as it was clear that only a custodial sentence would stop Stimson from sexually offending and behaving in this appalling way.

“This has been a complex case, further complicated by the fact that victims often, and understandably, do not want to speak to police and provide evidence against their offenders. Victims are so well groomed and controlled by the offender that they feel there is no way out.

“I want to thank all of our partner agency colleagues who worked so hard to tackle this case and hope that the victims can now move on with their lives, away from the grasp of Matthew Stimson.”