Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
A FOOTBALL COACH who was having a sexual relationship with one of his students has been jailed for over two and half years in the UK.
Stuart Sharples of Jubilee Road, Middleton, Manchester was today sentenced to 32 months in prison. He was said to have abused his power, instigating a relationship with a girl ‘half his age’ and sending her love letters and gifts.
The 29-year-old football coach first met the 15 year old in May or June of last year. They struck up a friendship and began sending texts to each other outside of football coaching sessions.
According to a police statement, Sharples then offered to help with her studies. The girl’s parents objected and confronted him, although he claimed to have no alternative motive other than to help with her studies.
The pair stayed in contact despite her parents objections and they started to have a sexual relationship last October.
The girl’s parents then found what have been described by Manchester police as “love letters” sent to their daughter which clearly proved the pair were in a sexual relationship. They immediately brought the evidence to police.
Sharples was then arrested and admitted in an interview that he was having a sexual relationship with the 15 year old and that he knew she was under the age of consent.
He will now be placed on the Sex Offenders Register, as well as serving his time.
Detective Constable, April Hopwood said:
I hope this case sends out a warning to anyone else who holds a position of such trust and is tempted to embark on a sexual relationship with someone who is not old enough to give their consent
She added, “Sharples had a position of responsibility…and sadly he abused the trust. As a man nearly twice the age of this girl, he should have put a stop to any relationship before it escalated…but it would appear he instigated much of relationship, pursuing her and sending her love letters and gifts.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Jesus when I saw the headline I feared the worst for David Moyes and Januzai there!!!
Was the sentence just coincidental to the fact that when he gets out she will be old enough to consent?
I coach over 100 kids of all different ages at present,girls and boys ages 8 to 18,it’s sickening to me that a person in this sort of trust and position would abuse it.When parents drop their kids off at training or at a game they are giving you a position of trust with their most important possessions in the world. Always baffles me why the sentences are so low for this type of crime,basically it’s grooming by a pedophile is it not ? To break and abuse the trust of kids and parents alike deserves IMO at least a sentence of 10 yrs without parole. Thank God this animal is in the minority,but even once incident like this is enough to destroy the life of not only the girl involved but her family as well,and even that is too many.
Possessions?
When he gets out she’ll be legal… Just saying is all!!!
What exactly do you mean?
That’s setting the Bar low……nonce-sense!
If it had of been over here he would of handed over a few grand and gotten a slap on the wrist
Ok so this ones a really touchy subject but there are loads if girls in Ireland who have had kids younger than this girl to men who are in there 20′s not saying it’s right infact I think it’s terrible! But they’re making an example of this guy cause he’s a coach. Why not chase all the other guys too?
The parents have to pursue the matter. If they don’t make a complaint, nothing can happen.
It’s pedophilia no matter what why you look at it she is still a child
Consent is 13 in Spain. 14 in Portugal. So there’s a couple of million people who might disagree with you calling them paedos.
That’s disgusting if it’s true Scarr
But is their an age limit on who they consent with ie if the girl consents to a 15 year old is ok but is it illegal for a 20 year old
And yes I know it should be there
But the Spanish are raising legal age this yr.
Correction…they raised it last yr. http://gu.com/p/3tfm8
Wiki coffee pasta: The age of consent is 13 in Spain. It is 14 in Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Portugal, San Marino and Serbia. It is 15 in the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, France, Greece, Iceland, Monaco, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Sweden. It is 16 in Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, Ukraine and the UK. It is 17 in Ireland and 18 in Malta and Turkey.
In the eyes of the law she is a child but in the eyes of the world she’s a grown up. There are millions of girls aged 15 who could teach many of us the ways of the world. They are so clued up and super intelligent unlike 40 / 50 years ago. Television and the internet have robbed them of thier innocence. They dress and behave years beyond thier age. Not making excuses, just making an observation .Also the law is biased against men. Take the case of the UK female maths teacher who was having sex with several of her male pupils , all around 15 years old. Found guilty…..sentence was 12 months in jail.Equal rights for women but not equal justice.
As a father of three young girls its right he should be caught and sentenced – but I said same for years when I was not a parent yet.
* Just a note of term correction – anyone that is having sex with 15 year olds is in fact committing Ephebophilia (not Pedophilia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephebophilia
Such cases like this mans is STILL WRONG – NO QUESTION.
Along with the sexual element, there are trust issues also – and he deeply let people down in both those areas.
Creep!!
Its crazy how much of this goes on. Sadly, men seem obsessed with teenage girls :(
In Spain she’d be legal for two years. Lots of Irish men travel abroad to get away from the strict legal age laws here. That was this guys mistake.
Mary you say that like ur ok with it, like its just going to the shops to get milk instead of procuring young girls/boys for sex, which makes me hope ur neither married or have children.
Would you be ok with your 15yr old daughter going out with a 29yr old man? You need your head checked
I don’t know what’s worse the fact she seems ok with that or the fact people are agreeing with her
Mary. His mistake was hooking up with a young girl he is in a position of power over. Not that he rode her in the wrong country.
But 17 and 31 is ok,right? As long as it is covered by law? Many 15 year old girls are mentally older than certain 20 year olds.Some are only interested in the guys who are older.What can you do? Of course it is not ideal.But if they loved each other and were happy,I think they should be left alone.
I was thinking tom humphries
Yea whatever happened about that situation I wonder….haven’t heard anything about a court case.
If the girl had been 16 everything would have been fine??? Legal maybe but still morally wrong for him to misuse his position of trust.
The age of consent is completely arbitary but I suppose its the best we can do for the moment.
Maybe a psychological evaluation to determine the maturity of somebody a would be a better idea.
I know plenty of so called adults who shouldn’t be allowed own an ATM card!
A united fan. He has that look
Manchester seems to be a paradise for them sick people
have your say