JOHN TAYLOR OF IPSWICH SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES

In May 2012, a former children’s football team manager from Ipswich was sentenced to a lengthy prison term after being convicted of multiple child sex offences.

John Taylor, of Malvern Close, Ipswich, had denied charges including two counts of buggery, eight counts of indecent assault, three counts of gross indecency, and one count of taking indecent photographs of a child. These allegations concerned events that occurred many years ago.

However, the jury at Ipswich Crown Court unanimously found Taylor guilty of all charges during a hearing held the previous day.

When passing sentence, Judge David Goodin remarked that Taylor’s victims had all suffered from the effects of his abuse, stating that "abuse which would be hard for anyone to forget."

The 62-year-old was sentenced to 15 years for each of the buggery offences, five years for each indecent assault count, two years for each gross indecency, and two years for the charge of taking indecent photos. The judge ordered these sentences to run concurrently, meaning Taylor will serve a total of 15 years in prison, with the first half to be served behind bars and the second half on licence.

Additionally, Taylor was ordered to adhere to an indefinite sexual offences protection order. This order prohibits him from having contact with any children under 18 unless supervised by another responsible adult. It also restricts him from residing with any child under 18, whether temporarily or permanently, unless social services approve.

Judge Goodin emphasized the seriousness of the case, describing it as "not a straightforward sentencing exercise," and highlighting that the offences came shortly after Taylor’s earlier convictions in 1982 in Bury St Edmunds for similar crimes.

He further explained that one of Taylor’s victims had subsequently become involved with drugs, faced criminal charges, and served time in custody. The judge remarked, "I make it plain to the courts he (the victim) made his own path in life but there is no doubt in this matter that the path was followed due to his anger and inability to deal with the abuse."

Taylor was arrested in October 2010 after police received a complaint related to incidents from years past.

During the trial, evidence revealed that Taylor once invited two young boys to play strip poker, resulting in at least one of them ending up naked. One victim testified that he entered a room to find a boy lying naked with a balaclava over his head while Taylor was holding a camera.

Historically, in 1982, Taylor was convicted at Bury St Edmunds Crown Court of three charges of indecency with a child and one of indecent assault on a male child, all involving a group of young Scouts.

In his defence, Taylor claimed that after his 1982 conviction, he had been very cautious around children. He also stated that he had been transparent with players and parents when he started his children’s football team.