May 2023

Man jailed for raping a child

A 35-year-old man who raped a child and lied to police about what happened has been jailed.

Wayne Leigh, of Somerset Terrace, Bedminster, appeared at Bristol Crown Court today (Monday 22 May) after a jury found him guilty of raping a child under 16 years old and perverting the course of justice.

He was jailed for a total of seven years and six months.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order has also been imposed and Leigh has been ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

The court heard how, between January and February last year, the teenage victim was raped in a property in Bristol.

Leigh was arrested for the offences in April 2022 but failed to answer his bail in July and went on the run.

Following extensive searches, officers found him nine days later living in a tent in a woodland area and was later charged and remanded to face trial in March this year.

During our enquiries, Leigh lied to officers about a piece of clothing of his that was used to link him to the crime and manipulated those around him to lie about his whereabouts.

Leigh was brought to justice by the Operation Topaz Child Exploitation Team, who also supported the victim throughout the investigation.