SHOCKING SEXUAL OFFENCES BY IAN AND GILLIAN ST CLAIRE IN BEXHILL AND EASTBOURNE

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Bexhill and Eastbourne, a married couple, Ian St Claire, aged 57, and Gillian St Claire, aged 56, have been sentenced to a combined total of over ten years in prison for a series of heinous sexual offences committed against children over a span of more than a decade.

Both residents of Hengist Close in Eastbourne, the couple appeared before Lewes Crown Court to face the consequences of their actions. Ian St Claire received a sentence of eight years, while Gillian St Claire was sentenced to two and a half years behind bars. The convictions stem from a previous hearing at Hove Crown Court, where Ian St Claire was found guilty of 16 separate charges, including indecent assault, gross indecency, and attempted rape, all involving a young boy. These offences took place between 1979 and 1993 in the towns of Bexhill and Eastbourne.

Furthermore, Ian St Claire was convicted of child cruelty against the same boy and another young victim, highlighting a pattern of abuse that spanned many years. Gillian St Claire was also found guilty of two counts of ill-treating and neglecting the same boy during the period from 1982 to 1992, as well as another offence of neglect against a different boy in Bexhill, committed between 1984 and 1995.

During the sentencing, Judge Anthony Scott Gall described the abuse inflicted by Ian St Claire as both violent and depraved, emphasizing the routine nature of his misconduct. The judge stated, “There was an unpleasant regularity about your violent and depraved treatment of these two boys. It became an every day way of life for those poor children. It was quite appalling misconduct. The harm you have caused is long-term harm.”

It was revealed that Ian St Claire, who suffers from severe arthritis and was confined to a wheelchair at the time of the offences, used belts, slippers, and other objects to punish and assault the young victims, in addition to sexually abusing one of the boys. The court heard that the abuse was systematic and prolonged, affecting the victims well into their adulthood.

Gillian St Claire’s role in the abuse was also condemned. The judge noted her arrogance and contempt during the trial, criticizing her for turning a blind eye to her husband's actions. “You should be ashamed of yourself,” he said. “Aside from that, you turned your back on the abuse that was being used on the boys by your husband. You turned the other way knowingly.”

Detective Constable Martyn Milligan of Sussex Police, who led the investigation, commented on the complexity of the case. He explained, “This was a complex investigation in which we uncovered systematic abuse over many years affecting two vulnerable boys even into their adulthood. The offending was summed up in specimen charges which covered a whole period of abuse. This was reported to us in 2011, long after the offending had ceased, but we were still able to help achieve justice for the victims, and this sends a clear message that anyone who feels they have been victim of such offending can contact us in confidence at any time, and their concerns will be taken seriously.”

Judge Scott Gall concluded by affirming that the couple’s convictions were based on “the most compelling and overwhelming evidence,” reaffirming the seriousness of their crimes and the importance of justice for the victims involved.