PAUL HAYES POOLE CHILD GROOMING AND INDECENT ASSAULT CASE SHOCKS LOCALS

In January 2004, a disturbing case involving Paul Hayes, a resident of Poole, has sparked outrage and concern within the community. Hayes, aged 44, was convicted of grooming and indecently assaulting a 14-year-old boy, actions that have drawn widespread condemnation from child protection advocates and local residents alike.

Hayes, who previously worked as an import clerk for a chemicals company, managed to establish a troubling relationship with the young teenager. Over a period of several months, he befriended the boy, showering him with gifts and taking him on outings to London, all in an apparent attempt to gain his trust and manipulate him. The grooming process included giving the boy presents worth approximately £1,000, such as a PlayStation 2, games, a coat, football boots, and a scarf. During this period, Hayes also engaged in acts of indecency and supplied cannabis to the boy, further complicating the case.

Details of the case emerged when the teenager confided in his mother about the abuse in December of the previous year. The police investigation revealed that Hayes had first met the boy on a beach in Poole during the summer and had subsequently taken him out for various activities, including smoking cannabis together. In police interviews, Hayes admitted to giving the boy gifts and explained that he had contacted the boy’s mother, claiming to be the father of a friend, to facilitate their outings.

Judge Samuel Wiggs presided over the case at Bournemouth Crown Court and sentenced Hayes to a two-year prison term. The judge expressed his disappointment at the relatively lenient sentence, considering the severity of the offences. Hayes was convicted of two counts of gross indecency, eight counts of indecent assault, and one count of supplying cannabis. The sentence also included a six-month term for gross indecency, to run concurrently, and a six-month sentence for the cannabis supply, also concurrent. Additionally, Hayes was ordered to register with the police for ten years upon his release from prison.

Following the sentencing, Michele Elliott of the children’s charity Kidscape criticized the punishment, describing it as “ludicrous” and an insult to the victim. She emphasized that individuals like Hayes, who exhibit such tendencies, are unlikely to be cured and pose a continuous threat to children. Elliott called for harsher sentences, suggesting that Hayes should have received ten years in prison.

Detective Constable Dave Watkins expressed his disappointment with the sentence, highlighting the gravity of the offences and the manipulative nature of Hayes’s actions. He pointed out that Hayes’s grooming and attention were designed to facilitate the abuse, which he described as “despicable.” The case has left many in Poole and the surrounding areas deeply concerned about the safety of children and the adequacy of the justice system in handling such serious crimes.