Sex offender who 'shocked' driver sentenced

A driver who flashed his headlights at a female motorist, prompting her to slow down, before showing her pornographic images has been handed an 18-month community order.

Luke Stephenson, of Settle, North Yorkshire, flashed the lights of his rented BMW while the woman was driving on Bingley Road in Saltaire on 12 September 2024, Bradford Crown Court heard.

The court was told the woman thought it might have been a police vehicle and slowed down, after which Stephenson showed her the images and asked her to get in his car, before being disturbed by a taxi.

Stephenson, 36, was found guilty of sending or sharing a photograph of genitals.

Prosecutor Shebanee Devadasan told the court: "She was shocked and asked him to leave her alone."

Stephenson, who had no previous convictions, left the scene in his car after being disturbed by the taxi, but was later arrested following inquiries with the rental company.

He was found guilty in May this year and at sentencing Judge Kirstie Watson described his behaviour that night as "utterly disgraceful".

She said the complainant was understandably terrified after being shown the images.

"She was a vulnerable victim because she was was driving by herself at night," the judge told Stephenson.

But the judge said she had to take into account that Stephenson had already spent 40 days remanded in custody before being released on bail with a qualifying night-time curfew back in 2024.

The judge accepted that the offending was out of character for Stephenson and that he had been suffering with mental health difficulties at the time.

"Had it not been for the time in custody and the qualifying curfew you would be going to prison today," she told the defendant.

Stephenson will have to attend 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days as part of his 18-month community order and he must also pay £1,000 in costs.

Barrister Eleanor Durdy, for Stephenson, said he had found his time in prison and the court proceedings a frightening experience, adding he was very sorry for what had happened.

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