Over six years have been given behind bars for a former Brighton Paedophile teaching aide, Stephen Payne, who sexually attacked four young girls.
Found guilty of 13 sexual crimes, 69-year-old Stephen Payne of no fixed address was sentenced on Wednesday, January 31, at Lewes Crown Court.
In 2020, police received four different reports of non-recent sexual assaults involving minors aged eight to twelve at a Brighton residence.
The incidents happened in Stephen Payne’s then-home in Brighton between 2001 and 2018.
Three of the victims detailed Stephen Payne sexually attacking them in his house while he measured their height against a wooden beam.
A fourth was sexually attacked in his house following Stephen Payne starting an improvised game of “Twister.”
Stephen Payne was a teaching assistant at Dharma Primary School in Brighton, which closed in 2020 when the offence occurred.
Stephen Payne worked there from 1994 until March 18, 2020, when he was arrested.
Linked to Stephen Payne’s educational background was one of the victims under inquiry.
Stephen Payne was charged with nine charges of indecent assault against a child under sixteen, three counts of engaging in non-penetrative sexual conduct with a girl aged 13 to 15 and one crime of assault by touching a girl under thirteen following a comprehensive and sophisticated investigation.
Stephen Payne was found guilty of all charges Friday, January 26, at Lewes Crown Court.
He received a six-and-a-half-year term in the same court on Wednesday, January 31.
Along with a restraining order and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, he will be registered as a lifetime Sex offender.
“Stephen Payne abused the trust of his young victims most terribly,” said Police Constable Donna Bagguley of Brighton and Hove’s Safeguarding Investigations Unit.
“All of them have shown fantastic bravery in disclosing his crimes and providing proof against him. We believed them; a jury believed them; today, Stephen Payne will spend much time behind bars.
We think Stephen Payne might have more victims. Whether the victim of a sexual offence is you or someone you know, kindly let the police know how long ago. We will believe you, stand by your side and do all we can to secure justice for you.
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