A 62-year-old UK man has been sentenced to 16 months in prison after pleading guilty to performing a sexual act on a woman’s dead body.
Stephen Sellars of Hibaldstow, North Lincolnshire, was caught while sexually penetrating the woman’s recently deceased corpse by her son and nephew.
Prosecutor Rachel Scott said the woman had died at home following a diagnosis of cancer eight weeks earlier.
In a statement read to Hull Crown Court, the victim’s unnamed son said the incident had a “massive impact” on him and described the offence as “unimaginable” and that “nothing could ever justify it”.
Judge John Thackray KC said if the offence had taken place “less than a month later” he would have been able to sentence Sellars to a maximum of seven years in prison due to a recent legal change.
As it stood, the judge could only impose a maximum sentence of two years which he reduced to 16 months due to Sellar’s early guilty plea, despite the offender originally denying the act in police interviews.
The court heard the victim was a “very proud woman” and her family had tried to “preserve her dignity” throughout her illness.
Sellars had been left alone in the house where the victim died for less than 15 minutes when the assault took place.
It was on the victim’s son and nephew’s return to the house that they caught Sellars committing the offence before he got dressed and “ran out of the property”, according to Scott.
Text messages between the victim’s son and Sellars were used as evidence, the defendant claiming he “was smashed” and “I didn’t know what came over me”.
Scott told the court that Sellars had originally told officers: “it was obvious what was going to happen, wasn’t it?”
However, in a formal police interview, Sellars denied the offence.
Scott said there were a number of aggravating features to the case, pointing out the crime took place in the presence of the woman’s family, in her own home, and there was “a significant abuse of trust”.
In addition, the barrister asserted there to have been “some degree of planning” due to Sellars bolting a gate, locking a door, and shutting the curtains before carrying out the offence.
Sellars’ defence Ben Donnell claimed Sellars had not committed a crime since 1988 and had never committed a sexual offence.
He said Sellars worked as a lorry driver and was a “good employee”.
Donnell then asked the judge whether Sellars’ sentence could be suspended and served in the community, despite admitting it was a “tall ask”.
When sentencing, Judge Thackray said it was a “clearly planned attack”, which left the victim’s son feeling “numb and betrayed”, and said he “doesn’t think he will ever fully recover” from what happened.
The judge also imposed a five-year sexual harm prevention order on Sellars and a restraining order in respect of the victim’s son and nephew.
Sellars showed no emotion as he was sentenced.
If you or someone you know needs help, contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), or Sexual Assault Counselling Australia on 1800 211 028 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.