JOSEPH LEE FROM MELKSHAM SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS FOR HORRIFIC CHILD SEX ABUSE IN SWINDON AND LONDON

In a case that has shocked the community of Melksham and the surrounding areas, Joseph Lee, aged 31, has been convicted of a series of heinous child sex offences, including rape, sexual assault, and the possession of extremely disturbing images and videos depicting child abuse. The sentencing took place at Swindon Crown Court in March, where Lee received a substantial prison term of 14 years and eight months, along with an additional three years and four months on extended licence. Despite the severity of his crimes, Lee’s legal representatives challenged the length of his sentence, arguing it was excessively harsh. However, their appeal was swiftly dismissed by a panel of three senior judges at London’s Court of Appeal.

Mr. Justice Haddon-Cave, presiding over the case, stated that the sentence was fully justified given the nature of Lee’s offences. He emphasized that the original sentencing judge had rightly regarded Lee as a dangerous individual, a conclusion that the Court of Appeal agreed with. The court heard that Lee had admitted to a range of serious offences, including multiple rapes, sexual assaults, attempted rape, and causing a child to engage in sexual activities. Furthermore, he was found to possess and distribute a significant number of child abuse videos and images, some of which police described as among the most disturbing they had encountered.

Lee’s criminal record is extensive. In May 2016, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to 43 separate child sex offences. These included two counts of raping a child under 13, 14 charges of sexual activity with a child under 13, and three counts of inciting or causing a child to engage in sexual acts. He also admitted to multiple offences related to the production, possession, and distribution of indecent images of children. His crimes spanned over two years, from 2012 to 2014, and involved the filming and photographing of his abuse.

Lee was initially arrested on September 9, 2014, at his residence in Calne, where police executed a search warrant. During the search, officers seized computers and mobile phones, which contained a staggering 1,548 images of child sexual abuse, including 75 Category A images and 35 Category A videos depicting child rape and sadistic acts. The police described these materials as some of the most vile and disturbing they had ever encountered. Lee’s offences, which included the production and distribution of these images, caused widespread revulsion and concern within the community of Melksham and beyond. His move from Calne to Melksham did not diminish the severity of his crimes, which have left a lasting scar on the victims and their families.