A man convicted of child sexual offenses after stabbing himself in the throat outside a police station has been identified as Stephen McLoughlin, aged 59. The incident took place on Friday, August 26, 2022, in Kirkby, where he was apprehended by Merseyside Police on St Chad’s Drive, just outside Kirkby Police Station. Video footage of the distressing event was circulated online.
After nearly four years, McLoughlin appeared in Bolton Crown Court for a six-day trial. He faced charges related to attempting to meet a girl under 16 through grooming, trying to engage in sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15, and two counts of trying to communicate sexually with a child. Additionally, he was charged with possessing a bladed article in a public space. A jury found him guilty on all counts.
McLoughlin, a resident of Kirkby, is scheduled for sentencing on April 2 at the same court. Following the stabbing, a significant cordon was established outside Kirkby police station. Video footage captured McLoughlin harming himself and being pushed into bushes near the station.
Authorities described his injuries as serious at the time of the incident, with reports indicating that he was in stable condition when transported from the scene.
