In 2018, the Offender Database recorded that 20-year-old Shauni Balderstone was spared an immediate prison sentence after grooming and having sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old boy. Balderstone—of Bowness Road, Padiham, Lancashire—targeted the youngster through sexualised Facebook messages and texts. It was reported that the boy’s parents contacted the police after noticing his school work was suffering and discovering photographs of their son with the adult defendant on his mobile phone.
The investigation established that while Balderstone insisted the pair only had sex once at her home in Padiham, the victim reported to police that they had slept together on at least four occasions. Lancashire Police reported that when first presented with the evidence, Balderstone claimed her social media account had been hacked. The prosecution reported that the grooming process was systematic, involving a significant power imbalance where the adult defendant initiated sexual contact with a child.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Balderstone, who had recently given birth to her second child at the time of sentencing, bore the full adult responsibility for the offences. Burnley Crown Court heard that the defendant knew the boy’s age and should have known her actions were wrong. The investigation established that the boy’s mother played a critical role in halting the abuse by monitoring her son’s digital communications and identifying the illicit relationship.
Judge Gibson presided over the sentencing, handing Balderstone a five-month prison sentence suspended for two years. For her actions in Padiham, she was also ordered to complete 40 days of rehabilitation activity and sign the Sex Offenders Register for seven years. The judge also imposed a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) specifically prohibiting her from having any contact with boys aged between 11 and 15 to prevent any further predatory behaviour.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the records reported in England, the status of Shauni Balderstone as of April 3, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Status: SUSPENDED SENTENCE 2018 (Period expired).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were active for 7 years (Expired 2025).
- SHPO Status: 5-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (Expired 2023).
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Sexual activity with a child).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Burnley Crown Court; investigated by Lancashire Police.
- Criminal Record: Sexual activity with a child.
- Origin: Bowness Road, Padiham, Lancashire.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Balderstone was managed as a registered sex offender within the Padiham area following her conviction. Due to the nature of her conduct, which involved the digital grooming of a 13-year-old and subsequent physical abuse, her management was a focus for the local public protection unit during her period on the register. Authorities state that her “hacking” defence and initial denial of the frequency of the abuse were markers of a lack of immediate accountability.
As a convicted sex offender, Balderstone’s details remain on the national police database. Authorities state that although her formal notification period and SHPO have concluded, her history of targeting a vulnerable boy through social media remains a permanent part of her criminal profile. Any future concerns regarding her proximity to minors or similar digital behaviour in the Padiham or Burnley areas would be cross-referenced with this conviction to ensure ongoing community safeguarding.
QUESTION – Given that the offender used her status as a mother to seek leniency and a suspended sentence, do you believe that “parental status” should be legally barred from being considered as a mitigating factor in child sex offence cases?
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