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Stowmarket paedophile given 17-year jail term for abuse of children as young as six

A Stowmarket man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for sexually abusing two children over a decade – with the offences beginning when he himself was 14 years old.

The details: Scott Lawrence-Bayly, 28, of Bridge Street, Stowmarket, was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday 13 December.

  • He will serve 17 years in custody, followed by an extended licence period of five years

  • His offences spanned a 10-year period, beginning when he was 14 years old

  • The first victim was eight years old at the time of the abuse

  • Further offences were committed when Lawrence-Bayly was an adult against a six-year-old victim

Scott Lawrence-Bayly
Scott Lawrence-Bayly will serve 17 years in custody, followed by an extended licence period of five years(Suffolk Constabulary)

What they're saying: Detective Constable Sam Chandler from the Safeguarding Investigation Unit called the crimes "truly abhorrent," noting that "although they began when he himself was a child, they continued into adulthood."

The sentence breakdown:

  • 17 years custodial sentence

  • Additional five-year extended licence period after release

  • Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life

The judge's view: The court described Lawrence-Bayly as a "dangerous offender who has a significant sexual interest in children."

The bottom line: Despite the offences beginning when Lawrence-Bayly was a teenager, the severity of his crimes and their continuation into adulthood led to a substantial prison sentence, reflecting what police called the "devastating" impact on his victims.

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