69 year-old man jailed for sexual assaults against girls in Sussex

Stephen Payne, 69, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on Wednesday (January 31) having been found guilty of 13 sexual offences, police said.

Police received four separate reports in 2020 of non-recent sexual assaults involving girls at a property in Sussex.

“Following a thorough and complex investigation, Payne was charged with nine counts of indecent assault against a girl under 16, three counts of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15 and one count of assault by touching of a girl under 13,” a spokesperson for the force said.

“At Lewes Crown Court on Friday (January 26), Payne was found guilty of all charges.

“On Wednesday (31 January) at the same court, he was sentenced to six and a half years in prison.”

“He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order, and will be on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Police Constable Donna Bagguley, of Brighton and Hove’s Safeguarding Investigation Unit, said: “Stephen Payne abused the trust of his young victims in the most appalling way.

“Each of them has shown extraordinary courage to report his crimes and give evidence against him. We believed them, a jury believed them and now Payne will spend a significant amount of time behind bars.

“We believe Payne may have more victims. If you or anyone you know is a victim of a sexual offence – no matter how long ago – please report to the police. We will believe you, we will support you and we will do everything we can to get you justice.”