A former lorry driver who had sex with a dead woman while her family were making funeral arrangements has been jailed for 16 months. Stephen Sellars, 62, of Hibaldstow, near Brigg, North Lincolnshire, admitted sexual penetration of a corpse on August 31 and was sentenced at Hull Crown Court.
He was also handed a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must sign the sex offenders register for 10 years. The court heard the victim, 60, had died at home after an eight-week battle with cancer, Grimsby Live reported.
Family's protective steps
Prosecutor Rachel Scott reportedly said the woman's family took steps to protect her dignity, covering her with a quilt in the living room and dressing her in a nightie while funeral directors were being arranged. But when the woman's son and another relative returned to the house, they found the garden gate had been bolted - which it had not been when they left - and they had to use a key to get inside. The curtains had been drawn.
Sellars, who knew the woman had died, was reportedly found having sex with her, the court was told. She had been undressed from the waist down. When confronted, Sellars reportedly said: “Sorry. I deserve knocking out.”
Guilty plea and impact
He later accepted his behaviour was “depraved” and that he had “crossed a line that should never have been crossed”, claiming drugs were to blame and that he “didn’t know what came over” him. Despite later confessing, he initially denied the offence and stayed silent in police interview.
In a victim impact statement, the woman's son said it felt like his mum had been “violated” and his “mind went blank”. He told the court: “This incident has had a massive impact on me.” He branded Sellars “disgusting” and described what happened as “surreal”, adding: “There is nothing he could ever say that could justify it.”
Defending, Benjamin Donnell said the offence was “out of character” and a one-off, noting Sellars had 13 previous convictions - none sexual - with the last dating back to 1988.
Judge's sentencing remarks
Judge John Thackray KC told Sellars: “You had clearly planned to do this… You had bolted the gate. You locked the door and you had drawn the curtains.” The judge said the maximum sentence at the time was two years, reduced to 16 months for the guilty plea. However, the law changed on September 29, lifting the maximum to seven years.
“Had the offence taken place a month later,” he said, “the sentence would have been measured in years, not months.” Afterwards, a family member said: “It's nowhere near long enough… I hope you die in prison.”
