Hastings man jailed for sexual offences against children

Raymond Edgar Day, 75, retired, of Churchill Avenue, Hastings, was sentenced when he appeared at Lewes Crown Court yesterday (Thursday, January 28).

He had been found guilty by a jury the previous day of ten offences – six counts of sexual assault and four counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

He will also be a registered sex offender for life.

The offences were committed against three girls, then aged between seven and 15.

Day was found not guilty of 11 other offences – two counts of rape of a child, two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and four counts of sexual assault on a child.

In sentencing Day, Judge Anthony Scott-Gall described his offences as ‘the grossest breach of trust’.

Detective Constable Nicola Westgate of the East Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit said the offences came to light when one of the victims wrote a letter.

“The other victims may never have come forward without the courage of that one girl and all the victims and prosecution witnesses in this case showed great courage and resilience in the face of cross-examination in court,” she said.

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