Tradeswoman is trolled online after beating men to Plasterer of the Year title

Tradeswoman is trolled online, gets dog mess posted through her letterbox and is even sent fake porn pictures of her daughter, 10, after beating men to Plasterer of the Year title

  • Steph Leese, 43, claims she was bombarded with flurry of vile abuse from males
  • Trolls first began targeting her after she was named Plasterer of the Year in 2017
  • Sexist posts include calling her ‘ugly b****’ and saying she belongs in the kitchen
  • Mother-of-one has been a plasterer for 20 years and now runs a successful firm 

A female plasterer who beat a host of men to the Plasterer of the Year title has been trolled online and was even sent fake porn pictures of her ten-year-old daughter.

Steph Leese, 43, claims that within 20 minutes of the announcement she was bombarded with a flurry of vile abuse from males in the trade.

In one instance, dog mess was posted through her front door in Liverpool with a note claiming ‘this is what we think of your work’.

The mother-of-one has been a plasterer for 20 years after she was introduced to the trade by an ex-boyfriend and set up her own business ten years ago.

Despite the abuse, which has seen her quit social media and even change her phone number three times, Steph insists she will never be forced to leave the industry.

Steph (pictured), from Liverpool, has suffered abuse from sexist trolls, who have called her an 'ugly bitch' and claimed she 'belongs in the kitchen' after she was named Plasterer of the Year

Steph Leese (pictured) has suffered abuse from sexist trolls, who have called her an ‘ugly bitch’ and claimed she ‘belongs in the kitchen’ after she was named Plasterer of the Year

Despite the abuse (pictured), which has seen her quit social media and even change her phone number three times, Steph insists she will never be forced to leave the industry

Despite the abuse (pictured), which has seen her quit social media and even change her phone number three times, Steph insists she will never be forced to leave the industry

Steph was horrified to discover an image of then-10-year-old daughter Megan (left) had been added to a pornographic photograph and circulated on social media

Steph was horrified to discover an image of then-10-year-old daughter Megan (left) had been added to a pornographic photograph and circulated on social media

Steph said: ‘I was absolutely overwhelmed when I won the award. It wasn’t just for me, it’s an achievement for other female tradies to be recognised professionally.

‘But within minutes of the announcement it started – it was extremely vitriolic and focused on me being a female.

‘It was absolutely shocking. It’s typical tradesmen – they completely embody the stereotype other people in the trade are trying to move away from.

‘Imagine if it was their wife or daughter they were talking about? It’s just disgusting. I don’t profess to be better than anyone, I just do my job.’

Steph was named Plasterer of the Year by On The Tools in 2017, and also won Construction Trade Business of the Year in 2018.

She has been running her own business, Pink Plasterer, for 10 years since she was made redundant from her job as a HR advocate at a law firm.

Steph was named Plasterer of the Year by On The Tools in 2017, and also won Construction Trade Business of the Year in 2018

Steph was named Plasterer of the Year by On The Tools in 2017, and also won Construction Trade Business of the Year in 2018

The posts from sexist trolls included insults about Steph's appearance, and she was called an 'ugly b****' and told she belonged in the kitchen

The posts from sexist trolls included insults about Steph’s appearance, and she was called an ‘ugly b****’ and told she belonged in the kitchen

She said the trolling began after details of her award were shared on a private Facebook page, Spread the Banter Plasterers UK.

The posts from sexist trolls included insults about Steph’s appearance, and she was called an ‘ugly b****’ and told she belonged in the kitchen.

She was then horrified to discover an image of then-10-year-old daughter, Megan, had been added to a pornographic photograph and circulated on social media.

Megan, now 13, was left devastated after finding out about the image when Steph was stopped in the street by someone who had seen it.

Steph contacted police but was told there was nothing that could be done because the photos had been sent anonymously.  

She said: ‘I’ve taken myself off forums. I get digs all the time, people saying I shouldn’t be doing what I’m doing and I should leave it to the boys.

‘I think they should luck how well the women footballers have done in the World Cup, while meanwhile men are putting photos online with irons in their hand.

‘How boring are they; their heads are stuck in 1970.’

The mother-of-one has been a plasterer for 20 years after she was introduced to the trade by an ex-boyfriend and set up her own business ten years ago

The mother-of-one has been a plasterer for 20 years after she was introduced to the trade by an ex-boyfriend and set up her own business ten years ago

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