COLIN MAY FROM WESTBURY: SHOCKING CHILD SEX OFFENDER CASE IN SWINDON AND WILTSHIRE

In a deeply troubling case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Westbury and surrounding areas, a mother has spoken out about her harrowing experience with a convicted sex offender, Colin May. The incident dates back to 2003 when May, a former soldier with service in Kosovo and Bosnia, committed heinous acts of sexual abuse against a five-year-old boy at a residence in Westbury.

Unbeknownst to the boy’s mother at the time, May had already served a one-year prison sentence for two counts of indecent assault and an act of gross indecency involving a 14-year-old girl. Despite these previous convictions, she allowed May to develop a relationship with her young son, unaware of his criminal history. The mother later learned about May’s past only after police investigations revealed his prior offenses.

Following his 2003 convictions, May was subject to a sexual offence prevention order, which was intended to restrict his contact with children under the age of 16. However, on June 9 of this year, authorities discovered May residing in a house in Highworth, Swindon, where he was staying with a woman and her three children. This breach of restrictions led to his subsequent arrest and conviction. On September 19, May was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Swindon Crown Court.

The mother, who only became aware of the full extent of May’s criminal record after her sister read an article in the Wiltshire Times last week, has now decided to speak publicly about her family’s ordeal. She expressed her distress and frustration, revealing that May was not on the Sex Offenders’ Register at the time because such a register did not exist then. It was only through police investigations that she learned about his previous convictions, which were fully disclosed during her son’s court case.

Her son, now 11, confided in a male friend—who is now her current partner—about the abuse he suffered at the hands of May. In a police statement, her partner recounted how the young boy described the abuse, adding, “We couldn’t tell mummy because it’s a secret.”

May was convicted on two counts of gross indecency and one count of indecent assault against the five-year-old. The mother described the profound impact this ordeal has had on her mental health, stating, “After court my mind went blank for two years. I functioned on a day-to-day basis but I couldn’t tell you what I had done during the day, I just couldn’t remember.” She recounted how her family secluded themselves for two years, with all windows kept shut and their lives heavily restricted, only beginning to open up again this summer.

The mother and her partner advocate for stronger measures to protect children from known offenders. Her partner supports the implementation of Sarah’s Law, a campaign that seeks to allow controlled access to the Sex Offenders’ Register. The mother herself expressed a controversial but firm opinion: “The easiest way would be to tattoo paedophiles so people getting involved with them know exactly what they are dealing with. They need to be kept away from kids. Childhood is so precious. My little man has lost out on his childhood. He went from a baby to an adult.”

This case highlights ongoing concerns about the adequacy of current systems to monitor and restrict the movements of convicted sex offenders, especially in cases where legal restrictions are breached or not fully enforced. The community continues to grapple with the aftermath of this disturbing series of events, and calls for more stringent safeguards to prevent similar tragedies in the future.