Steward guilty of sex with child at music festival

During the trial, Ipswich Crown Court heard the victim believed Stokes was a security guard at the festival

A man has been found guilty of having sex with a 15-year-old girl while he was working as a steward at a music festival.

Alex Stokes was a steward at the Latitude Festival in Suffolk in July 2022.

The 32-year-old, formerly of Burns Road in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, was found guilty of penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and 15.

He is due to be sentenced on 11 July at Ipswich Crown Court.

Summing up the evidence heard across the trial, judge Nicola Talbot-Hadley said the victim described how she and a friend started speaking to Stokes.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said they believed he was a security guard.

They had been drinking alcohol, she said, and she told the defendant they were both 15. She claimed he provided them with more drinks.

The victim said the two had sex close to one of the music tents.

Stokes was arrested on 27 July 2022 and he said he lied in his first police interview - when he denied the sexual activity - because he was "scared".

He eventually admitted the pair had sex, but claimed he thought she was older.

Judge Talbot-Hadley said there was a "likely custodial starting point" for his sentencing.

While he was convicted of one offence, he was found not guilty of rape, non-penetrative sexual activity of a girl and sexual assault.

Stokes, wearing a checked suit in the dock, gasped as these not guilty verdicts were delivered.

He was released on bail and must report to a local police station where he was staying, which is in Wales.