Man jailed for sexual abuse in Ellesmere Port

A man has been jailed for sexually abusing children in Ellesmere Port.

Steven Reginald Huxley appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday 22 January, where he was sentenced to 23 years in prison and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

The 72-year-old of Joseph Groome Towers, Ellesmere Port, was earlier found guilty of 17 counts of sexual offences against children, including rape of a girl under 13 and assault by penetration, following a 7-day-trial at Liverpool Crown Court which concluded on Wednesday 9 October 2024.

Huxley had also previously pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, three counts of taking indecent images of children, one count of possession of indecent images of children, possessing prohibited images of children, and possession of extreme pornography.

During the trial, the court heard how the abuse involved two victims and occurred between 2005 and 2008 and 2006 and 2011.

He was in a position of trust but when the victims came to visit him, instead of looking after them, he repeatedly sexually abused the children individually over several years.

When the abuse was reported to Cheshire Police, a warrant was conducted at Huxley’s address and his devices were seized. Upon digital forensic analysis, officers discovered over 130,000 uncategorised images depicting child sexual abuse. Of these images, 30 were found to be category A images, 27 were category B, 1,239 were category C, 257 were extreme pornography, and 250 were prohibited images.

56 images found were first generation images that Huxley had taken himself of his child victims.

Detective Constable Yvonne Graham said: “What Huxley did was every parent’s worst nightmare.

“He was trusted to look after the victims, but instead of caring for them he preyed on their vulnerability. He sexually abused them on many occasions, causing untold harm and distress.

“It is a testament to the strength, bravery and determination of the victims in this case that we have been able bring Huxley to justice, despite it being 20 years since some of the offences occurred. I hope that the conclusion of this case will provide them with some closure and help them with their recovery.

“Sexual assault of children causes terrible distress to all involved, not least the victim themselves, and I urge anyone who has been the victim of a sexual assault – no matter how long ago the incident took place – to come forward and report it.

“We treat all reports of sexual offences extremely seriously, with the wishes and needs of the victim as our main priority, and any allegations will be thoroughly investigated.”

If you have been a victim of sexual abuse, or know of someone who has, please call us on 101 or visit: 

www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/advice/rape-sexual-assault-and-other-sexual-offences/how-to-report-rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/ 

Information can also be reported anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on:

0800 555 111

Pictured - Steven Reginald Huxley of Joseph Groome Towers in Ellesmere Port.