Man given 23 years for rape and abuse of children

A man from west Belfast has been given a jail sentence of 23 years for rape and sexual abuse of children.

Stephen-Lee McIlvenny, 21, with an address at Hydebank Young Offenders Centre has admitted 77 charges, including the repeated rape and blackmail of three teenage boys.

This included 10 counts of rape and attempted rape; sexual assaults, grievous bodily harm, inciting children to engage in sexual activity, blackmail and the distribution of indecent photos of children.

The mother of one of the victims has said her son has suffered profound physical and emotional trauma as a result of the ordeals he endured.

The offences took place between 2019 and 2022 when McIlvenny was aged 16-19.

At Craigavon Crown Court on Friday Judge Donna Colgan KC said the case featured multiple aggravating factors including the fact that there were multiple victims who were children, that the abuse continued for a prolonged period of time.

Other factors included that he manipulated and blackmailed his victims, that drugs were involved, that the abuse included degradation, was filmed and distributed and that the defendant had relevant convictions - notably the abuse of a 12-year-old girl.

At one point, family members of victims in the public gallery had to leave the courtroom such was the disturbing nature of the details of abuse suffered.

The court heard that the matter came to police attention after McIlvenny was seen by witnesses attacking one of his victims in west Belfast in 2022. The victim suffered a bleed to the brain.

After this details of the abuse emerged, mobile phones were seized containing images of abuse McIlvenny had recorded.

The court heard that the victims have suffered PTSD, flashbacks, psychological distress, mental health challenges and seizures as a result of the abuse.

McIlvenny had claimed that he himself had been the victim of exploitation by a man identified as 'CS' and that he had brought his friends in to help him by getting them to supply images to CS.

However the judge said there was no evidence he had been blackmailed or coerced rather that "it is hard to think of a case of higher culpability".

"He blackmailed his victims and was prepared to coerce a 14-year-old boy for his own gratification," the judge said.

"He took them to his lair of deprivation with lies, exploitation and threats. He took full advantage of their youth and vulnerability for his own gratification."

The court heard that McIlvenny had set up an account on a pornography website, that he had uploaded some of the abuse videos, which had been viewed about 30,000 times, earning a fee of less than $20 that wasn't paid out.

After the 23 year sentence was handed down McIlvenny was led from the dock in handcuffs.

A shout from the public gallery said, "rot in jail".

In statement, the mother of one of McIlvenny's victims said the "impact these sick crimes have had on my young son has been profound, affecting all aspects of his life".

"The trauma he has experienced has resulted in difficulty not just forming new relationships but has also impacted current relationships. He understandably finds it hard to trust people now," she said.

"Not only was the abuse my son suffered of a sexual nature, he was also beaten, leaving him with a bleed on the brain and if members of the public hadn't of stepped in I dread to think what would have happened.

"This was all to keep him quiet about the sexual abuse, terrify him into silence."

She called for "more societal support for young boys" who have been victims of sexual abuse.

She advised other parents to "trust your gut always", describing it as an "internal warning system".

"We noticed that his personality was different, he was becoming aggressive and acting out of character. I wish I had acted on those warning signs."

She said the sentencing has given her family "some form of closure".

Det Insp Nikki Deehan from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) welcomed Friday's sentencing.

They described McIlvenny as "a child predator who brutally sexually exploited his young victims and inflicted long lasting trauma".

"People have an image of a paedophile in their minds but the digital world has warped this and parents need to be aware that perpetrators are getting younger, more tech savvy and extremely manipulative," they said.

The officer thanked McIlvenny's victims for coming forward.

"They expressed to my team their initial reluctance to confide in anyone or report because of the stigma that they still feel is there towards male victims of sexual abuse.

"I want to send a message today to any other male victims sitting at home suffering in silence, please report. You will be believed and we will support you in a sensitive manner."

Head of the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) serious crime unit Catherine Kierans said McIlvenny "is a callous paedophile".

"I want to commend the three victims in this case for their immense courage in speaking out about the cruel and depraved abuse they suffered, and going through the criminal justice process," she said.

"Their actions have led to this defendant being held accountable for his crimes, which have caused such distress and trauma to his brave victims."