“You have perfected your method… your previous sentence could not stop you from insulting in an almost identical manner.”

A former special constable showed no emotion when he was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a young girl in his car.

Stephen Godridge, from Bolton, groomed his victim via Snapchat before raping her in his car. The 31-year-old had been released from prison just months earlier after exploiting two other teenage girls using “exactly the same modus operandi”.

The court heard that Godridge sent his 14-year-old victim a friend request on Snapchat before persuading her to send him pictures of herself in her underwear.

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He then drove from his home in Bolton to Liverpool to pick her up in his car, before taking her to Manchester to watch her play football, the Liverpool Echo reported.

After returning to Merseyside in the dark, Godridge took his victim to a car park at Breckside Park in Anfield, where he sexually assaulted and raped her in the back seat while she “told him to stop all the time”. She had taken photographs of the interior of his vehicle on her mobile phone during the journey out of “worry and concern”.

This eventually led to his arrest after automatic number plate recognition technology confirmed he had visited the area. In interview, Godridge claimed he “believed she was not underage” and claimed the teenager told him she was 17 before they had consensual sex.

In a statement read out to court on her behalf, she said: “I find it difficult to do normal things like go shopping. I hate being alone, it just scares me.”

“I’m scared that someone will come into my house and get me. I just can’t stand being alone. I feel so vulnerable that it will just happen again. I don’t go out much anymore.

“This incident keeps running through my mind. I’m scared that he might hurt me or my family again. What this man did to me has had a huge impact on my life. I’m scared for my future and how this will affect the rest of my life.”

A statement from the girl’s mother said: “She doesn’t leave her bedroom or go out. He stole my little girl from me.”

Godrige “has perfected his method over many years”

Godridge, of Southfield Street, Bolton, is said to have “perfected his method over many years”. In 2019, he was sentenced to 57 months in prison at Preston Crown Court after being found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child.

This time, using “exactly the same modus operandi,” he befriended two 15-year-old girls on Snapchat while pretending to be 19 and 22. He then sent them explicit pictures of himself and had sex with them in his car in remote locations.

Reports at the time revealed that Godridge, who was also subject to a sexual abuse protection order banning him from having any contact with girls under the age of 16, had previously served as an auxiliary constable with Greater Manchester Police before being suspended from duty following his arrest in October 2016. He later resigned from the police force and was released from custody four months before his latest offence.

“Facts are facts. This happened very soon after his release.”

Defense attorney Keith Harrison told the court: “In my view, it is not necessary to impose a life sentence. If you impose a sufficiently long, determinate sentence, it can often achieve the same result.”

“Facts are facts. This happened very soon after his release. In my opinion, a life sentence should be reserved for much more serious cases. In this case, it is not absolutely necessary.”

“I accept that there should be an extended sentence of appropriate length. He will not be released until he has proved it is safe to do so. There will also be a sexual harm prevention order. These elements taken together may mean that a life sentence is not necessary in this case.”

Godridge was found guilty by a jury following a trial of two counts of rape, sexual assault, two counts of assault by penetration and breaching a sexual harm prevention order. He appeared via video link at HMP Liverpool and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 10 years and 8 months this morning.

“Their sexual interest in young girls is not recognized at all”

In sentencing, Judge Gary Woodhall said: “You deliberately used Snapchat as a platform to find young girls for sexual contact. I am satisfied that you were looking for girls you could meet, isolate and then engage in sexual activity with.”

“You extracted confidential information about her personal circumstances, no doubt to determine whether she was a suitable target and whether she was suitably vulnerable and naive. This was deliberate, predatory behaviour on your part.

“She made it clear from the beginning that she neither agreed nor was interested in intimate touching. She pushed your hand away.

“She told you to stop and you ignored her. She told you she was uncomfortable. She screamed in pain. You carried on.

“Your previous conviction and the restraining order have not prevented you from committing an almost identical offence again. This offence is therefore all the more serious as it is the third time that you have offended young girls in this way.

“Your sexual interest in young girls is completely ignored. You presented yourself to the probation officer as highly manipulative, which is indeed reflected in your crimes.”

Godridge, who was also given an indefinite sexual violence prevention order and required to sign the sex offenders’ register for life, showed no reaction at the sentencing or at any other time during the hearing.

“Godridge’s actions had an extremely traumatic and long-lasting impact”

Detective Sergeant Bob Sandham, of Merseyside Police, said: “Godridge’s actions have had an extremely traumatic and long-lasting impact on his victim and her family, who were supported throughout by specially trained officers.”

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

“I hope today’s verdict gives the girl a sense of justice as she continues to recover. I would encourage anyone who has been a victim of a sexual assault to come forward and speak to us.