Child molester who abused a child must go to prison years after his crimes

A child molester was sentenced to several years in prison after abusing a teenager.

Stewart Tuck, 24, carried out attacks on his victim when he was still a child at secondary school. Tuck’s victim reported him to police years later after discovering the offender had committed another sex crime. Teesside Crown Court heard that Tuck was caught with an indecent image of a toddler in 2022 by a person who had access to his phone.

He was reported to the police and when Tuck was on trial, his previous victim heard what had happened and came forward.

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Tuck, of Wheatley Road, Stockton, pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual assault in the past.

• Three cases of sexual assault of a child under 13 years of age
• Three cases of sexual acts in the presence of a child
• Two cases of rape of a child under 13 years of age
• Inducing a child under 13 to participate in sexual activities

Tuck also admitted his most recent offence of taking indecent photographs of a child.

Judge Jonathan Carroll told him: “The discovery of your offences as an adult was the trigger for your first victim to come forward. You continue to pose a significant risk of causing serious harm by committing further offences.”

The judge sentenced Tuck to an extended term of seven years and nine months in total. He was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison and will be on probation for three years after his release from prison. He must serve two-thirds of the sentence before he can be released. A restraining order was issued against him. As a registered sex offender, he must provide his address to police for the rest of his life.

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