Preston man jailed for assaulting woman and attempting to rape her daughter
Steven Murphy was sentenced to 11 years in prison after being found guilty of multiple offences
A convicted sex offender has been jailed for 11 years after assaulting a woman and attempting to rape her 12-year-old daughter in Preston.
Steven Murphy, 43, of Tiller Road, Cottam, Preston, denied the charges but was found guilty following a trial at Preston Crown Court.
Murphy met the woman in April after contacting her on Facebook. She invited him to her home where she was celebrating her daughter’s participation in a talent show.
After offering to drive other guests home, Murphy returned to the house alone, knowing only the woman and her daughter were present. He then sexually assaulted the woman before targeting the young girl.
According to Lancashire Police, Murphy entered the 12-year-old’s bedroom while she was attempting to sleep. He climbed into her bed, assaulted her, and tried to rape her. She repeatedly told him to leave, and he eventually exited the home.
Murphy was convicted of one count of sexual assault on the woman, along with two counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape on the child. He was sentenced on Monday, 1st December, by Preston Crown Court to 11 years in prison with an additional eight-year extended licence.
The judge deemed Murphy a dangerous offender, classifying him under terms requiring an extended licence, which aims to protect the public. This means offenders serve additional supervised years post-release on top of their custodial sentence.
During sentencing, Det Sgt Sue Wilson from Preston CID recognised the bravery of the victims.
"First and foremost I would like to commend the two victims for their courage in coming forward and reporting what happened to them and for their bravery throughout the judicial process. I hope this sentence will mean that they can try to move forward with their lives knowing this dangerous predator is behind bars.
"I also hope that it may give other victims of sexual abuse the confidence to come forward and speak to police in the knowledge we will investigate professionally and with sensitivity and will look to prosecute offenders where we can."