Former special constable, 31, sentenced to life in prison for raping 14-year-old girl he befriended online

A former special constable has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a 14-year-old girl he had befriended online – just months after being released from prison for attacking two 15-year-olds.

Stephen Godridge, 31, groomed his victim via Snapchat before sexually abusing her, after exploiting two other teenagers in strikingly similar circumstances eight years ago.

The officer arranged to pick up the girl in his car on November 15, 2023 and took her to Breckside Park in Anfield, where he raped and sexually assaulted her.

A statement from the girl’s mother said: “She (the victim) does not leave her bedroom or go out. He stole my little girl from me.”

Goldridge, who denied the offences, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of ten years and eight months at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday.

Prosecutor Trevor Parry-Jones told the court on Thursday: “The prosecution considers that the defendant is an experienced, predatory paedophile whose intention was to satisfy his penchant for sexual activity with teenagers.”

“He was searching for underage girls on social media, in this case Snapchat, pretending to be much younger at 23 years old.”

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

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.

After returning to Merseyside in the dark, the pervert escorted 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”.

Out of “concern and fear,” she had taken photos of the interior of his vehicle with her mobile phone while driving.

This ultimately led to his arrest after automatic license plate recognition technology confirmed that he had visited the area.

In the interview, Godridge claimed he “believed she was not a minor” and claimed the teenager told him she was 17 before they had consensual sex.

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

“I’m afraid 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 going through my mind. I’m afraid 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.”

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.

Godridge, who also had a sexual harassment restraining order against him prohibiting him from having any contact with girls under the age of 16, was previously 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 prison four months before his last crime.

Defence lawyer Keith Harrison told the court today: “In my view it is not necessary to impose a life sentence. If you impose a sufficiently long, determinate sentence, that 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 agree that the sentence should be extended appropriately. He will not be released until he has proven that this is safe.

“There will also be a sexual violence prevention order. These elements taken together may mean that a life sentence is not necessary in this case.”

Godridge, who appeared in court via video link to HMP Liverpool, was found guilty by a jury following a trial of two counts of rape, sexual assault, two counts of penetrative assault and breach of a sexual abuse protection order.

Detective Sergeant Bob Sandham 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 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.

“I would encourage anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence to come forward and speak to us. We have a team of dedicated staff who will handle your reports expertly and compassionately and we will do everything we can to bring perpetrators to justice.

“We take all such reports extremely seriously and work with partner organisations such as the Victim Care Support Service and RASA, who support victims every step of the way.”

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