Toby Lees 35

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A predatory paedophiles sickening campaign of sexual abuse of a vulnerable child was revealed after the victims mother caught them in bed together.

Toby Lees, 29, of Garland Road, Colchester, admitted a string of sexual offences including rape, attempted rape, and sexual assault between 2011 and 2018.

At Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday (May 25), Lees was sentenced during a hearing attended by the young boys family.

At around 9.30pm on March 11, the victims mother caught her son and the defendant in bed together.

Their lower halves were covered and she saw the defendant quickly move his hand, causing her to become suspicious.

After coming clean to his sickening crimes, Lees sent a text to his mother, despite initially denying everything.

The text read: Mum, I would never try and excuse what has happened.

I know it was wrong and accept the consequences of my actions.

I am not passing blame, I know I am an adult that should never have let it happen. When can I expect the police to turn up?

He was arrested by police and his phone was seized where it was discovered he searched various indecent terms online.

In his police interview on March 13, he made a 79-page confession of sexual abuse against the young victim spanning several years.

As the defendant told police about his gross catalogue of abuse, Lee claimed he did not know why he allowed it to continue and felt physically sick after it happened.

He said was it was a 50/50 relationship but told officers he was not putting the blame on his victim as he was a child.

Lees claimed there was never any force and that it was never devised or planned it but that it just happened.

In a police statement, the victims mother told officers her son was vulnerable, lacking in confidence and is overall an anxious boy.

She explained how he was not someone that trusts people easily and finds it hard to build relationships.

During his interview, the victim told police about the abuse starting when he was was prepubescent.

He could not remember how or why it started but was asked what kind of things would happen.

The victim went on to describe on one occasion that Lee attempted to penetrate his anus but it was too painful and they stopped.

Prosecuting lawyer Carolyn Gardiner told the court how the abuse completely changed the victim.

The victim is not the same.

He has been assessed for counselling and is on the waiting list but he has been told that it could be five months before he is seen.

Mitigating on the defendant's behalf, Nneka Akudolu said: He had a good sense and courage to admit to these very serious offences.

"These offences lead to a lengthy custodial sentence and he acknowledges and accepts that is what to follow.

Having read his pre-sentence report, there is a glimmer of hope for rehabilitation without the need for a dangerous determination.

He had not so much an interview as a 79-page confession, he had not held back at all when questioned by police.

The offences he has pleaded guilty to have been formed around his own confessions.

"Some in his position facing similar charges do not always do what is clearly right."

Ms Akudolu added that her client's own child would suffer as a result of her father being punished.

"He wants to make it clear he pleaded guilty because he is guilty and because he is sorry, not only sorry for what he has done to his victim but also the distress he has caused to the family," she continued.

There are no excuses for his behaviour, he is responsible for his action and he described getting caught as almost a relief as he had to confront the depraved truth of what he was doing.

It is a very sad day for everyone concerned, there is no one in the public gallery in support of him and he only has himself to blame.

Judge Turner turned to the defendant in the dock, who looked at the floor throughout the sentencing, calling his campaign of abuse a depraved course of conduct.

Sentencing Lees, the judge told him: You are 30 years of age, you are father of a four-year-old daughter, you perpetrated across seven years a series of gross sexual offences against a young boy.

You were discovered in fairly dramatic circumstances, you were caught red-handed.

You knew his age, you knew the danger, you knew the consequences and you still participated in disgraceful conduct.

"It was exploitative, it was opportunistic and deliberate.

It was a horrific course of conduct which has cast a shadow over much of his life.

You should have known better than to do what you did.

Lees was sentenced to 14 years in prison after admitting to a charge of rape, attempted rape, four counts of sexual assault and seven counts of causing or inciting sexual activity with a child.

A sexual harm prevention order was also put in place and Lees was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life.