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Jury Convicts 59-Year-Old Stephen McLoughlin of Child Sex Offences

The case followed a 2022 self-inflicted stabbing outside Kirkby Police Station.

Overview

  • A Bolton Crown Court jury found the Kirkby man guilty of attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming and attempting sexual activity with a child aged 13–15.
  • He was also convicted of two counts of attempting sexual communications with a child and possessing a bladed article in a public place.
  • The six-day trial concluded in February 2026, and sentencing is set for April 2 at Bolton Crown Court.
  • The incident gained public attention after August 26, 2022 footage showed him stabbing himself outside the station on St Chad's Drive.
  • Police established a large cordon at the scene and later reported he was in a stable condition after initially describing his injuries as serious.