‘Vile’ racist laughed as he abused Sheffield schoolgirl and told her ‘I can say what I want in my country’

A Sheffield man who racially abused a 12-year-old girl waiting for a bus in Sheffield has a history of racism and aggressive begging.
By Robert Cumber
Published 10th Mar 2020, 15:32 BST
Updated 11th Mar 2020, 15:16 BST
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Stephen Rowley approached the schoolgirl at Arundel Gate in the city centre in January and launched a verbal attack about her her ethnicity and skin colour.

The 41-year-old, of Brightmore Drive, had also threatened to stab a woman as he passed her on Eyre Lane in the city centre.

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Stephen Rowley, 41, was jailed for six months after racially abusing a girl, 12, at a Sheffield bus stopStephen Rowley, 41, was jailed for six months after racially abusing a girl, 12, at a Sheffield bus stop
Stephen Rowley, 41, was jailed for six months after racially abusing a girl, 12, at a Sheffield bus stop
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Rowley appeared yesterday, March 9, at Sheffield Crown Court, where he was sentenced to six months in prison for a racially aggravated public order offence, threatening behaviour and two breaches of a criminal behaviour order (CBO).

In February 2018, he was served with a CBO banning him from begging in Sheffield city centre, among a host of other conditions.

That came after he was convicted of common assault after spitting at a woman who refused to give him money and racially abusing a member of staff on The Moor, for which he was jailed for 12 weeks in January 2018.

Speaking after he was sentenced for the latest offences, PC Steve Bauer, of South Yorkshire Police, said: “This was an unprovoked, vile attack on a child, who was simply on her way to school. Rowley made some very offensive comments, whilst laughing and telling the girl, ‘I can say what I want in my country’.

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“The victim was left in tears but managed to get onto her bus where thankfully several members of the public noticed her in distress and helped her call the police.

“Fortunately, the whole incident was captured on CCTV and Rowley was quickly identified by the Sheffield City Centre Neighbourhood Team.”

PC Libby Bettney, the investigating officer, told how Rowley’s other victim had been left traumatised after he threatened to stab her.

“The victim, a woman in her 20s, has been left incredibly shaken by these threats, she has changed her route to and from work and has described feeling frightened by the encounter,” she said.

“This is unacceptable in our city, especially when people who are just going about their daily lives are the victims.”