A junior football coach who sexually abused a young player in the back of the team’s minibus has been jailed.


A junior football coach who sexually abused a young player in the back of the team’s minibus has been jailed.

Stephen Turton, 66, was sentenced to 13 years and six months at Manchester Crown Court after admitting sexually assaulting two young boys.

Turton coached a now-disbanded under-11 side in Salford from the early 1990s.

Judge Suzanne Goddard said Turton was a “calculating and predatory paedophile” who abused his position.

Turton, of Castleton Close, Gamesley, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to seven counts of committing indecency with a child, six counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault.

The court was told Turton groomed and sexually abused one boy, who was under 11, in the early 1990s.

He assaulted his victim in his converted van, which served as the team’s minibus.

Turton took photos of the abuse, claiming he would sell the pictures and give the victim the proceeds, the court heard.

The assaults continued until the boy was 13. The victim later went “off the rails”, drinking and taking drugs, the court was told.

He told a friend what had happened about five years ago, after a reunion of former players was arranged on social media, police said.

After Turton’s arrest, a second victim came forward who had been groomed and abused from the age of eight until 16.

Turton must sign the sex offenders register for life.

Stephen Turton pleaded guilty to:

First Victim
Three counts of indecent assault on a male person
One count of indecency with a child
Each count covers multiple incidents over a three year period.
After a trial he was acquitted of one count of rape and two counts of aiding and abetting rape

Second victim
Stephen Turton pleaded guilty to:
Three counts of indecency with a child (under 14)
Three counts of indecency with a child (under 16)
Three counts of indecent assault on a male person
Two counts of sexual assault
These counts cover multiple incidents