Man sentenced to 16 months for sexual act on deceased cancer victim in England

In Hibaldstow, North Lincolnshire, Stephen Sellars was sentenced to 16 months in prison after admitting to sexually penetrating a woman’s recently deceased body. The victim had passed away at home following a cancer diagnosis only two months prior. Her son and nephew discovered the assault and confronted Sellars, who fled the scene before being detained.

At Hull Crown Court, Judge John Thackray KC explained that a newer law could have allowed up to seven years imprisonment, but the older limit of two years applied, leading to the reduced sentence due to the guilty plea. The judge described the act as a “clearly planned attack” and added a five-year sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order to protect the family. Defence counsel Ben Donnell highlighted Sellars’ clean record since 1988 and his employment as a lorry driver, but the court focused on the aggravating factors, including the presence of family members and the pre-meditated steps taken by the offender.