IPSWICH'S LAURENCE ENGLEFIELD JAILED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF SCHOOLGIRL NEARLY 40 YEARS AGO
In June 2017, a 66-year-old man from Ipswich, Laurence Englefield, was sentenced to prison for sexually abusing a schoolgirl almost four decades earlier.Englefield, residing at Alderlee off Stoke Park Drive, pleaded guilty to six counts of indecent assault on a girl, one count of indecency with a child, and one count of attempted rape.
The crimes occurred between July 1976 and September 1985.
Judge Rupert Overbury sentenced Englefield to seven years and eight months in prison, with an additional two-year licence period.
He noted that although Englefield had admitted to the abuse many years prior, the incidents were not reported to police until 2015.
During sentencing, Judge Overbury mentioned that Englefield’s church pastor, relatives, and friends described him as a different person from the man who committed these crimes over 30 years ago.
They characterized him as considerate, polite, and a “Christian gentleman.” In addition to his prison sentence, Englefield was ordered to register as a sex offender and was subject to a sexual harm prevention order.
Prosecutor Jane Oldfield told the court that Englefield had sexually assaulted the girl on a train, under a table, in front of other passengers who were unaware of the abuse.
He also attempted to rape her in a park and told her that no one would believe her if she reported the attacks.
Ms.
Oldfield mentioned that since the offences, Englefield had stopped drinking, converted to Christianity, and had sought to contact the victim, apologizing and expressing remorse for his actions.
She added that the victim had become worried after learning Englefield had applied for a job as a school caretaker, fearing he might be tempted again.
