Herefordshire News, Herefordshire Sport, Leisure and local information From The Hereford Times

Sex assault was hushed up for 24 years,

From the Hereford Times, first published Thursday 26th Jul 2007.

A DEVOTED Christian's sexual abuse of a 10-year-old Brownie was hushed up by the church for over 24 years, a court was told.

Victor Steynor, aged 64, who twice put his hand up the girl's top when her Brownie pack visited the home he hired out for adventure weekends, was reported by the girl - but her parents and their church dealt with the matter "in-house" instead of calling police.

It was only by chance, when a former Deacon of Ledbury Baptist Church spilled the beans to a teacher who had links to the family, that the events of 1983 emerged, magistrates learned.

Steynor claimed he meant nothing sexual by the kitchen groping and he told the court that "things were different then".

But a district judge disagreed and sentenced Steynor to three years of rehabilitation under the supervision of the probation service.

Prosecutor Sharon Jomaa told Cheltenham Magistrates Court that the Brownie - now a 34-year-old woman - was touched when she visited Steynor's Dyke House home in Bromsberrow Heath, near Ledbury, for a weekend adventure trip with her Brownie group on June 7, 1983.

Ms Jomaa said the girl reported what happened to her mother.

"The incident was dealt with in-house. There was a meeting with a church elder. It was dealt with and hushed up," said Ms Jomaa.

"She said she was made to feel she was making a mountain out of a mole-hill.

Ms Jomaa added: "The matter was also reported to social services at the time, but the family did not want to proceed."

Judi Peachey, defending, said: "Mr Steynor has been devastated and ruined by this matter being brought up again. He thought the matter had been dealt with at the time.

"He spoke to the girl's mother and various other people and social services were informed. He is genuinely sorry that she was upset and feels it was a misunderstanding."

Deputy District Judge Neil Pattinson said: "This was an assault on a 10-year-old girl. It was sexual touching. If you had any previous convictions or if this had been a prolonged assault I would have been sending this matter to crown court for sentence.

"You are a man of impeccable character and I've spent some time reading the character reference in which you are spoken of in the highest terms."

Steynor, who denied sexual assault but was convicted at an earlier trial, was placed on the sex offender's register for five years and ordered to pay £455 prosecution costs.

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