Man jailed for offences against young child in Leamington following Warwickshire Police investigation

Following a trial at Coventry Crown Court in September, Steven Harrison (formerly Steven Gerrard), 50, of Kingsway, Coventry was on Tuesday (12 November) sentenced to 18 years in prison for child sex offences. 

After being released from prison he will serve five years on licence with strict conditions to prevent him reoffending.

Detective Constable Aiden Griffiths who led the investigation said: “I would like to recognise the bravery shown by the victim. For someone who is still young and coming to terms with what happened to him his courage has been unwavering. This should give other victims the confidence to come forward in the knowledge they will be listened to and supported.

"Harrison is a dangerous man and I am grateful he is now behind bars."

The offending happened in the 2010s when the victim was aged between 11 and 13. The court heard the distressing detail which showed how Harrison groomed the victim and threatened to harm him if he told anyone. The offending had a terrible impact on the him and his family.

Harrison was jailed after being found guilty of four counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, four counts of rape of a child under 13 and two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. He was also found to have breached a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. 

Children can be amongst the most vulnerable people in society, and we are committed to protecting them. If you have been a victim of a sexual offence, no matter when it occurred, there are specially trained officers who will listen, investigate and make sure you receive support.

For more information on how to report sexual offences - How to report rape and sexual assault | Warwickshire Police