A "perverse" woman who lured a 15-year-old boy to her home and had sex with him twice while her boyfriend was at work has been sentenced to jail.
Mother-of-three, Laura Stephenson, now 28, was given a 21-month sentence at Sheffield Crown Court after she admitted two counts of sexual activity with a child. She will also be put on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
Stephenson Claimed the Sex was Consensual
The court heard how she had exchanged "flirty" messages with the school boy and then lured the boy to her home while her partner was away in 2018. The victim, who has not been named for legal reasons, suffered mental health issues as a result of the abuse. The boy disclosed the sexual encounter to his GP before a referral was made to social care.
In her police interview, Stephenson, of Windmill Road, Rotherham, admitted the pair had sex but argued it was consensual. She also attempted to blame her victim, while saying she felt guilty about her conduct.
Investigation Officer: 'She Exploited a Family's Trust'
Following the sentencing, investigating officer Natalie Duffy said Stephenson was aware that her actions were "wrong" but pursued the teen regardless.
She said: "Stephenson claimed she knew her actions were wrong due to the boy's age, but this wasn't enough to stop her, and instead she presented a number of excuses for her perverse actions. "She exploited a family's trust in her and I'm thankful that this is reflected in her receiving a custodial sentence and being placed on the register."
Natalie Duffy also praised the boy for coming forward and assisting the police with their investigations into Stephenson. She said: "I would like to praise the victim for the tremendous courage he has shown throughout the investigation and court proceedings.
"Abuse like this can have life-long, damaging impacts for victims and we will do all we can, alongside social care, to support those at risk and seek justice on their behalf," she added. "If you have been affected by sexual abuse, please know that we are here, we will listen to you and we will do all we can to support you."
Stephen was also handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and ordered to pay victim costs of £140.
