Man found in a Newcastle hotel room with an underage girl has been jailed

Stuart Shorrock, of Pope Lane, in Preston, has been jailed after he was found in a Newcastle hotel room engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.

During a hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, it was heard that in May 2023, the teenage girl has been reported missing to police.

Following an investigation carried out the British Transport Police, the teenager was tracked the Sleeperz Hotel, on Westgate Road, in Newcastle.

The police investigation discovered that CCTV had captured Shorrock checking them into the hotel using false names.

When officers entered their hotel room, they found evidence of sexual activity and Shorrock was arrested of sexual exploitation of the young girl.

During a police interview, the teenager explained that she had met Shorrock online, where he had claimed to be 19-years-old.

It was also uncovered that they had met previously at other hotels since January 2023 to engage in sexual activity.

Shorrock, who is 33-years-old, pleaded guilty to one count of penetrative sexual activity with a child, four counts of non penetrative sexual activity with a child and one count of causing or inciting a girl aged 13-15 to engage in sexual activity.

On Wednesday, February 28, he was jailed for four-and-a-half years and handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and made to sign the sex offender register indefinitely.

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The judge also imposed a restraining order to prevent him from contacting the victim for five years.

Speaking after Shorrock's sentencing, DC Helen Buckland, the investigating officer, praised the victim for her courage in supporting the conviction.

She said: “Shorrock groomed the victim by claiming to be a teenager himself and building an online relationship with her.

“This is classic predatory behaviour and Shorrock is a dangerous individual who is rightly now behind bars.

“We would like to thank the victim and her family for their courage supporting this conviction.”