Abuser's sister detained for naming victims on Facebook

Sophie Turner named two girls assaulted by her brother on social media

A woman who named the victims of a sex offence case on Facebook has been sentenced to 18 weeks' detention.

Sophie Turner, 19, from Old Swan, Liverpool, posted comments after her brother and another man were jailed for assaulting two girls.

It is the first time Merseyside Police has brought such a case.

Det Insp Jacky Fitzpatrick said the result makes it clear that the naming of victims of sex offences "will not be tolerated" by the force.

Victims of sexual abuse are automatically granted anonymity for life.

Turner's brother Jamie and another man, Myles Bell, were jailed for 12 years each in July.

They sexually abused two girls aged 14 and 16 after giving them alcohol and cocaine.

On the day they were sentenced Turner had posted comments naming the victims and suggesting they complained to the police to get compensation.

'Traumatised further'

Turner was found guilty of two counts of publishing the names of victims of a sexual offence and two counts of harassment at Liverpool Magistrates' Court last month.

District Judge Wendy Lloyd said Turner's actions "took away the protection of the law" from the victims.

"They were already traumatised, you traumatised them further," she said.

She was sentenced to 18 weeks' youth detention, the minimum custodial term.

An indefinite restraining order preventing Turner from contacting or publishing any material about the two victims has also been imposed.

The court was told the case took a considerable time to build as it was a landmark case for Merseyside Police.

It also had to have the approval of the Attorney General, the government's chief legal advisor.