Stephen Sellars jailed for 16 months for corpse penetration

Stephen Sellars, a 62-year-old truck driver from Hibaldstow in North Lincolnshire, was sentenced to 16 months in prison at Hull Crown Court on Friday, after pleading guilty to the sexual penetration of a corpse, BBC reported. The offense occurred at the home of a woman who had died from cancer just eight weeks prior.

The Discovery Inside the North Lincolnshire Home

The victim had been a very proud woman, and her family had sought to preserve her dignity throughout her illness, prosecutor Rachel Scott told the court. Sellars had been left alone in the property with the deceased woman for approximately 15 minutes. Upon returning to the house, the victim’s son and nephew walked in and caught Sellars committing the act.

Sellars immediately got dressed and fled the property. He later sent text messages to the victim’s son admitting he had been drunk and did not know what came over him, stating he “was smashed.” During his initial police interview, however, Sellars denied the offense entirely before ultimately entering a guilty plea to the charge of sexual penetration of a corpse.

Prosecution Cites Planned Crime and Abuse of Trust

Prosecutor Rachel Scott detailed multiple aggravating factors in the case, noting that the crime took place in the victim’s own home in the presence of her family, representing a significant abuse of trust. The prosecution also argued that Sellars had planned the crime, pointing out that he bolted a gate, locked the door, and drew the curtains before carrying out the offense.

Ben Donnell stated in court that his client had not committed an offense since 1988, had no history of sexual offenses, and was considered a good employee. The defense asked the judge to suspend the sentence so Sellars could serve it in the community.

Judge John Thackray KC rejected that request, characterizing the incident as a clearly planned attack. The judge noted that had the offense taken place less than a month later, statutory changes would have allowed for a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. Under the laws active at the time of sentencing, the maximum penalty was two years, which was reduced to 16 months in recognition of Sellars’ early guilty plea.

The Impact on the Victim’s Family

In a statement read to the court, the victim’s son described the offense as unimaginable and stated that nothing could ever justify it, adding that the incident had exerted a massive impact on his life. Judge Thackray remarked that the victim’s son felt numb and betrayed, and observed that the family member likely would never fully recover from the ordeal.

Alongside the 16-month prison term, Judge Thackray issued a five-year sexual harm prevention order against Sellars. A restraining order was also put in place prohibiting Sellars from contacting the victim’s son and nephew.