ALEX BRYAN AND BENFLEET HORROR: CHILD SEX ABUSE CASE LEADS TO JAIL SENTENCE INCREASES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Benfleet, a man named Alex Bryan has seen his prison sentence significantly extended following his conviction for heinous crimes involving a six-year-old girl. Bryan, aged 35 and without a fixed address at the time of sentencing, was initially handed a 12-year term for the sexual assault and abuse of the young girl at a flat in Benfleet. However, after an appeal brought before the Court of Appeal, his sentence was increased to 19 years in prison, accompanied by a five-year extended licence period. This decision underscores the severity of his crimes and the justice system’s response to such egregious offenses.

The case also involved the victim’s mother, who was 36 years old at the time. Her original sentence of five and a half years was also increased to eight years following the appeal. The Solicitor General, Robert Buckland, who lodged the appeal, described the original sentences as unduly lenient and emphasized the gravity of the crimes committed. He stated, “All cases which involve the sexual assault of a child are shocking, but the fact these offences were carried out by adults in collusion with each other, make it particularly so.”

He further explained, “The male offender was a manipulative lead player in these offences and I feel the renewed sentence of 19 years’ imprisonment with a five-year extended licence period handed to him today now reflects that. The woman knew what was happening and not only played a role in the abuse – she was fully responsible for the cruelty which the child suffered.”

Judge Owen Jones presided over the case at Basildon Crown Court, where Bryan was found guilty on October 24, 2014, of multiple charges including child cruelty, sexual assault of a child, and two counts of rape and sexual assault. The victim’s mother admitted to child cruelty and three counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, revealing her complicity in the abuse.

The authorities became aware of the abuse following a tip-off from social services. An investigation was launched, leading to a visit to the child’s home, which was found to be in a deplorable state. The home was filthy, with no sheets on the girl’s bed, and she was sleeping on a stained, dirty pillow. Further examination revealed her hair was matted and infested with lice, and disturbing evidence of adult pornography was discovered hidden under her bed.

Interviews with the young girl uncovered the horrifying truth: Bryan, a friend of her mother, had been sexually abusing her. During questioning, the girl revealed that Bryan had threatened her, saying “her mother would die” if she told anyone about the abuse. Following the investigation, social services removed the girl from the flat and placed her with a foster family to ensure her safety and begin her recovery from the trauma inflicted upon her.