Former special police officer raped girl four months after his release from prison

A former auxiliary police officer who raped a 14-year-old girl four months after his release from prison has been imprisoned for the second time.

Stephen Godridge, 31, groomed the teenager via Snapchat and then took her to Breckside Park in Liverpool in November where he attacked her.

In court, he was described as having “perfected his methods over many years.” In 2019, he was sentenced to prison for the sexual abuse of two 15-year-old girls.

He was sentenced to ten years and eight months in prison at Liverpool Crown Court after being found guilty of two counts of rape and sexual assault of the 14-year-old girl.

He was also found guilty of penetrative sexual assault and violating a restraining order protecting against sexual assault.

The girl’s mother told the court that her daughter suffered mental health problems after the attack, adding: “He stole my little girl from me.”

Godridge, of Southfield Street in Bolton, maintained contact with the teenager via video chat and arranged to pick her up in his car on November 15.

He then took her to Breckside Park in Anfield, where he raped and sexually assaulted her.

Judge Gary Woodhall described him as “highly manipulative” and added: “You deliberately used Snapchat as a platform to identify young girls for sexualised contact.”

Godridge was an auxiliary constable with Greater Manchester Police when he was arrested for sexually abusing two girls in 2016. He was subsequently suspended from duty and later resigned.

Auxiliary police officers are volunteer officers who support and work with full-time police officers.

A previous sexual harm prevention order banned Godridge from contact with anyone under 16, but the judge said: “Your previous sentence and protection order did not prevent you from reoffending in an almost identical manner.”

During the recent trial, Godridge claimed the victim told him she was 17 and they had consensual sex, but the jury rejected that claim.

The judge imposed a lifetime restraining order to prevent sexual violence and ordered him to sign the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Det. Sgt. Bob Sandham of Merseyside Police said Godridge’s actions were “extremely traumatic and have had long-term effects on his victim and her family”.

“Godridge denied the offences and forced his victim to undergo a trial. Fortunately, he was convicted of these offences and will now spend a significant amount of time behind bars.

“I hope that today’s verdict will give the girl some sense of justice as she continues her recovery.”