STANLEY LORD FROM CHARD AND WEYMOUTH SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF GIRLS OVER 30 YEARS

In a case that has spanned several decades and involved multiple victims, Stanley Graham Lord, aged 63 and residing in Thorncombe near Chard, has been sentenced to 11 and a half years in prison for the sexual abuse of three young girls. The crimes, which took place over a period of more than 30 years, have brought to light a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior that began in the late 1970s.

Lord faced a series of charges at Dorchester Crown Court, where he pleaded not guilty to 14 counts, including gross indecency with a child. However, after a thorough trial, a jury found him guilty of nine of these charges. The convictions included four counts of indecent assault and five counts of gross indecency with a child. Lord was acquitted of four other charges, and the jury was unable to reach a verdict on one additional count, leaving that case unresolved.

The victims, all under the age of ten at the time of the abuse, were targeted during different periods. The first girl was victimized while Lord was living in East Dorset during the late 1970s and early 1980s. This young girl endured repeated assaults, with Lord subjecting her to degrading sexual acts that served only his own gratification. The trauma inflicted on her was profound, and her suffering was compounded when she moved away from the UK and spoke out about her experiences. Out of fear, her friend, the second victim, chose to cover up for Lord, effectively enabling him to continue his abusive behavior against other young girls.

Further allegations emerged concerning Lord’s time abroad. In 1983, he established a relationship with a woman in South Africa. Court proceedings revealed that Lord may have continued his abusive conduct while living there, targeting another girl. Unfortunately, these allegations could not be prosecuted because the offenses occurred outside the jurisdiction of UK courts. After returning to Dorset in 1984, Lord’s pattern of abuse persisted, and he targeted a third girl. One particularly disturbing incident involved Lord abusing a girl while she was on her way to pick up a Chinese takeaway in Weymouth.

Lord’s arrest in 2009 marked a turning point in the case. When initially detained following complaints from victims, he denied all allegations. However, the evidence presented in court led to his conviction. In addition to his prison sentence, Lord was subjected to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order and was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities and restrictions to protect the public from further harm.