FORMER UNI STUDENT BRANDED 'DANGEROUS OFFENDER' AFTER SEX ABUSE OF BOY
A 25-year-old man named Declan Bailey, who is currently serving a three-year prison sentence for encouraging a young girl to send explicit photographs of herself, has now been handed a second significant prison term for the sexual abuse of a boy.Bailey’s criminal activities have once again come to light as he faced a judge to answer for allegations involving the abuse of a primary school-aged boy.
Details reveal that Bailey subjected the young boy to a series of sexual assaults, with the incidents spanning over a period of time.
This case came to public attention during a hearing at Teesside Crown Court, where it was disclosed that Bailey, a former student at Teesside University, had been involved in these heinous acts against his victim, who is now an adult.
The court heard that the abuse took place over ten years ago, and the victim only came forward to report the crimes after reading news reports in 2021 about Bailey being previously jailed for his sexual communications with a young girl.
The investigation uncovered that Bailey had targeted the 13-year-old girl via Snapchat, threatening her with rape if she refused to send explicit images.
In addition to these threats, authorities found that Bailey’s mobile device contained illegal images and videos depicting children being subjected to sexual abuse.
For these offences, Bailey was sentenced to three years in prison in April 2021.
Following this, police intensified their inquiries into Bailey’s conduct, focusing on the sexual abuse of the young boy.
Initially denying the allegations, Bailey eventually pleaded guilty in October, just as his trial was set to commence.
He faced charges including three counts of sexual assault on a boy under the age of 13 and three counts of inciting the same child to engage in sexual activities.
Bailey, who is currently detained at HMP Durham but previously resided on Park Road South in Middlesbrough, accepted all charges.
His legal representative, Nigel Soppitt, explained that Bailey was on the autistic spectrum and had reportedly struggled with social connections, emphasizing his isolation and lack of friends.
During sentencing, Judge Jonathan Carroll addressed Bailey directly, stating, "You had reached a stage in life where sexual curiosity had emerged in your mind.
You turned these thoughts into physical actions.
You did so against a young boy, who was in no way wanting, or capable of consenting, to your conduct." The judge underscored the serious nature of Bailey’s offending, warning that such behavior indicated a significant potential for causing harm.
He described Bailey as a dangerous offender, given his previous convictions and recent offences.
As a result, Bailey was sentenced to an additional three years and five months imprisonment.
Furthermore, he was subjected to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order, a measure imposed after his earlier paedophile-related convictions, to restrict and monitor his conduct and protect potential future victims.
