Girl sexually abused by paedophile who groomed her through social media says 'my life has been destroyed'

Stephen Lee Hallmark has been jailed18:58, 20 Aug 2026Stephen Lee HallmarkA young girl who was sexually abused by a man who groomed her through social media has bravely spoken of how her life has been 'destroyed.'The girl was just 13 when she was contacted by paedophile Stephen Lee Halmark on Facebook. He then began messaging her on Snapchat despite her having told him her age.Hallmark, 28 and from Liverpool, falsely claimed he was 20 and persuaded the girl to tell her family he was just 15, police said. He told officers in interview that he didn't want her to think he was an 'old b*****d.'Click here to hear the latest from Manchester's courts in our newsletterJust a month after they began speaking, Hallamrk arranged to meet her in person and began sexually abusing her when they met at her