LEE GANTLEY FROM LEWES AND WELLS SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC SEXUAL ABUSE OF GIRLS

In a case that has shocked the local communities of Lewes and Wells, Lee Gantley, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses, was sentenced to a lengthy prison term after being convicted of a series of heinous crimes committed against two young girls during the 1980s.

The court proceedings took place at Hove Crown Court, where Gantley's guilt was confirmed through a unanimous jury verdict. The charges against him included three counts of rape involving one girl aged between six and eight, and two counts of rape involving another girl aged between eight and eleven. In addition to these serious offenses, Gantley was also found guilty of acts of indecent assault and inciting the children to commit further acts of gross indecency.

The prosecution, led by barrister Sarah Lindop, emphasized the profound and lasting impact these crimes had on the victims. She detailed how Gantley, who was residing in Wells, Somerset at the time of sentencing, had threatened the girls in an attempt to silence them, warning that no one would believe their accounts and that they would be taken away. Despite these threats, the victims found the courage to come forward and report the abuse.

Gantley's criminal behavior spanned several years, beginning when he was a youth and continuing until he reached the age of 19. The court heard that his early life was marked by instability and hardship. His defense, represented by Beverley Cherrill, highlighted his background, describing a broken home with an absent mother and a father addicted to drugs and alcohol. She explained that many of the offenses occurred during his teenage years, when he was living in a neglected,