STOWMARKET MAN JAILED FOR CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT

Suffolk police has welcomed the lengthy jail sentence of a "truly abhorrent" man who sexually abused two girls. Scott Lawrence-Bayly, of Bridge Street in Stowmarket, was charged with two counts of sexual assault of a child, assault by penetration of a child and oral rape of a child in relation to a girl who was aged between eight and nine years old during the offences in 2010. The court heard that Lawrence-Bayly was 14 years old at the time of the offences and the victim was eight years old. The now 28-year-old had previously been found guilty of assaulting a six-year-old when he was an adult after denying assault of a child by penetration, sexual assault of a child and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. All these counts related to a girl who was aged between five and six during the offending period in 2020. At Ipswich Crown Court on Friday, December 13, Lawrence-Bayly was sentenced to 17 years in jail with an extended licence period of five years. He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life. Detective Constable Sam Chandler stated that the crimes committed by Scott Lawrence-Bayly against such young victims were "truly abhorrent". His offences spanned over 10 years, beginning when he was a child and continuing into adulthood. The judge noted he has a significant sexual interest in children. The psychological impact on the victims has been devastating, with Lawrence-Bayly robbing them of their innocence and childhood. The police expressed satisfaction with the severity of the sentence, which reflects the gravity of his crimes.