‘Revolting’ perv accused girl he sexually abused of ‘fantasy’ – but his sick lies have been found out


A man in his 50s has been jailed for eight years for the “revolting” sexual abuse of a teenage girl.
Stuart Symonds, 57, had denied any wrongdoing, accusing his young victim of “fantasy” or invention.
But he was convicted by a jury of 15 sexual offences against her on Monday after a trial at Hull Crown Court.
Symonds began sobbing in relief in the dock when he was found not guilty of the first three charges – two rapes and a sexual assault.
But he quickly fell silent when the foreman of the jury replied “guilty” to the 15 remaining charges he faced.
These were ten offences of sexual activity with a child, three of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, and making indecent photographs of a child.
Sentencing Symonds, of Kirkgate, Pocklington, Judge Paul Watson QC said he took advantage of the victim to “sexually abuse her in frankly, a disgusting manner”. In one incident, Symonds had given the girl a “love bite”.
After detailing his crimes, the judge told Symonds: “You did this for your own gratification and to satisfy your own sexual desires, without regard to the welfare of that young girl.
“You had bought her silence, or possibly encouraged her to participate with the promises of money, cigarettes, and other favours, but she was only young and in no position to make an informed decision.”
The judge called Symonds’s activities “revolting”, and said: “This was, quite frankly, abhorrent activity by a man of your age with such a vast age gap between you and her. She was accused of fantasy, or simple invention.”