STEVE BAYS FROM EASTLEAZE SWINDON JAILED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF TEEN IN SWINDON

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Swindon, Steven Bays, a 51-year-old resident of Eastleaze, was sentenced to 16 months in prison after being found guilty of sexually abusing a sleeping teenage boy. The incident took place in May at Bays’s flat, where the victim, a 16-year-old boy, was staying. The court heard that Bays, who was reportedly intoxicated at the time, first initiated inappropriate contact by groping the young boy while he was asleep. Subsequently, Bays performed a sexual act on the teenager, which lasted only a few seconds but was enough to cause significant trauma.

According to the prosecution, Tessa Hingston, the young victim awoke in the early hours to find Bays undoing his trousers and engaging in sexual interference. The boy did not react immediately, a response that is not uncommon in cases of sexual assault, as noted by Ms. Hingston. After the act, Bays touched the boy again before the teenager left the room. During this time, the defendant pretended to be asleep, but from the bathroom, the victim could hear Bays criticizing himself, calling himself an “idiot.”

The teenager then left the flat and made his way to a police point in West Swindon, which was unmanned at the time. He then walked several miles home in the middle of the night, visibly distressed. A forensic examination later confirmed the presence of Bays’s DNA and saliva on the boy’s clothing, providing concrete evidence of the assault.

Initially, Bays denied any wrongdoing, claiming he was heterosexual and had no interest in males. He also told officers that he did not have a drinking problem but was consuming approximately a third of a bottle of whisky daily. The court was informed that the trauma inflicted on the young victim had severe consequences, including an inability to focus on his studies, which resulted in him failing his GCSEs.

Bays pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault. His defense attorney, Rob Ross, expressed remorse on his client’s behalf, stating that Bays was deeply sorry for his actions and had even attempted to take his own life since the incident. Mr. Ross emphasized that Bays was now attending Narcotics Anonymous and had been sober for a month, having struggled with alcohol since the age of 19.

Judge Peter Blair QC sentenced Bays to 16 months in prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender for the next ten years. The judge also highlighted the lasting psychological damage caused to the young victim, noting that although the offending period was brief, the effects would be long-lasting and profoundly impactful on the teenager’s life. The case underscores the importance of addressing sexual misconduct and protecting vulnerable individuals within the community of Swindon.