MICHAEL COLLYER SENTENCED IN HAVERHILL FOR PREDATORY SEX OFFENSES AND REPEATED OFFENCES

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Haverhill, Michael Collyer, aged 37, was convicted of a serious sexual assault involving a 12-year-old girl and has a long history of predatory behavior. The incident took place in July of the previous year, and the court proceedings revealed disturbing details about Collyer’s criminal past and his ongoing predilection for sexual offenses.

According to the prosecution, Martyn Levett, two young girls, both aged 12, were walking along the Railway Walk footpath in Haverhill when they encountered Collyer, who was sitting on a bench. As they continued their walk, Collyer suddenly ran towards them and grabbed one of the girls. One of the victims managed to break free and immediately sought help by calling the police. However, the other girl was not so fortunate; she was pulled into a nearby nettled area where Collyer leaned over her, pulled up her clothes, and sexually assaulted her. During the assault, he threatened her not to scream and warned her that he would find her again if she told anyone about what had happened.

The traumatized girl, overwhelmed by fear and distress, sought refuge at a friend’s house, expressing her belief that she was in mortal danger. The police investigation uncovered that Collyer had viewed indecent images of children on his computer prior to the attack, and forensic evidence confirmed his DNA was present on the girl’s clothing, linking him directly to the assault.

Collyer’s disturbing history was detailed during the court proceedings. It was revealed that he had a pattern of sexual offenses dating back to his teenage years. At just 14 years old, he had attempted to rape an eight-year-old girl, an incident for which he was later sentenced to five months in a young offenders’ institution in 1986. A psychiatric report at that time indicated that it was “not improbable” he would offend again. His criminal record includes convictions in 2003 for possessing indecent images of children and in 2005 for sending an offensive text message to a 13-year-old girl.

During the sentencing, Judge John Devaux expressed serious concern about Collyer’s risk to the public. He acknowledged the gravity of the recent assault and the defendant’s history, stating that Collyer should serve a minimum of four and a half years of his nine-year sentence before being considered for release, contingent upon the parole board’s assessment of his danger to society.

In addition to his imprisonment, Collyer was ordered to re-register on the sex offenders register and was disqualified from working with children indefinitely. The court also prohibited him from approaching children under 16 without a parent present and from making any photographic or video recordings of minors. The judge emphasized the ongoing threat Collyer posed, citing his preoccupation with sexual gratification and his extensive criminal history, which included multiple convictions for sexual offenses.

This case underscores the importance of vigilance and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to protect vulnerable members of the community from repeat offenders like Michael Collyer, whose actions have left a lasting impact on the victims and the wider Haverhill community.