MAN JAILED FOR RAPE

An Ipswich man received a prison sentence of six years and three months after raping a woman on a sofa while she was babysitting at a residential property in the town.

During the sentencing, Recorder Claire Davies KC highlighted that Santos’s conduct had caused significant physical and emotional trauma to the victim.

She read an impact statement from the woman, who expressed that she no longer saw herself as the young person she was prior to the incident and that the assault continued to influence many aspects of her life.

The judge also mentioned that once Santos had completed his prison term, deportation was likely.

The court heard in the trial last month that Santos was watching a film on a sofa with the woman when he initiated kissing her.

According to prosecutor Matthew Sorel-Cameron, the two kissed for approximately ten minutes before the woman checked on the child she was babysitting and went upstairs.

The kissing resumed afterward, but when Santos placed his hand on her bottom, she objected with a clear “no.” Despite her protests and telling him “no” again when he moved his hand to her front, Santos broke her boundaries with a firm “yes,” and proceeded to put his hand inside her leggings before pushing her face down on the sofa and carrying out the rape.

Mr. Sorel-Cameron stated that Santos was aware of what he wanted and was determined to continue.

Santos, whose address is Bramford Road, Ipswich, denied the rape occurring in May 2022 but was found guilty by a jury.

Alongside his prison sentence, he was ordered not to contact the victim and to register as a sex offender for life.

Following his arrest, Santos claimed the encounter was consensual.

The court was also informed that during incarceration, Santos was classified as an enhanced prisoner.

May 2021

Child rapist who took photographs of abuse is jailed for 15 years

A Hadleigh paedophile who raped a young girl and took pictures of the vile abuse has been jailed for 15 years. 

Martin Woods, 42, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court for sentence after previously admitting seven offences relating to two victims. 

On April 9 at his plea and trial preparation hearing, Woods pleaded guilty to:

• Raping a child under the age the age of 13

• Sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13

• Two counts of taking indecent images of a child

• Three charges of making indecent images of children.

The abuse happened during 2020, the court heard. 

Claire Matthews, prosecuting, told the court Woods was arrested last year following a disclosure from one of the girls. 

As a result of his arrest, devices were seized from his home, Ms Matthews said. 

Recovered from former Port of Felixstowe dock worker Woods’ mobile phone were a number of indecent images which showed him abusing the two girls. 

Police also found four downloaded indecent images of children of the most serious kind – category A – along with two category B images and two category C images on an iPad. 

Officers also discovered numerous internet searches for indecent images of young prepubescent girls, Ms Matthews told the court. 

Woods, of Guthrum Road, Hadleigh, was further arrested for the indecent images offences but gave no comment to officers’ questions in interview. 

Sentencing Woods, Judge Emma Peters said the impact on the victims has been “profound”. 

Judge Peters called Woods’ offending “horrific” and that his internet search history showed he had a sexual interest in young girls. 

At the previous hearing, Judge Peters ordered a dangerousness report from the Probation Service to assess if Woods posed a risk to the public. 

She told the court she was satisfied that Woods did present a risk to the public. 

Judge Peters sentenced Woods to 15 years in prison with an extended licence period of six years. 

Woods will have to serve two thirds of his custodial sentence behind bars, meaning he will serve a minimum of 10 years before he is considered for parole. 

Judge Peters also imposed a indefinite sexual harm prevention order and ordered him to sign the sex offenders’ register for life. 

May 2021

Ipswich paedophile jailed for downloading indecent images of boys

A now six time convicted paedophile from Ipswich who downloaded images of children being raped has been jailed for 12 months. 

Sentencing Peter Starck, Judge David Pugh said sex offender treatment programmes he had attended in the past had been unsuccessful and a psychiatrist and a probation officer had categorised him as being at “high risk” of reoffending.

“Time and time again you have been given opportunities to change your behaviour,” said the judge.

Starck, 41, of Kingsley Close, Ipswich, admitted three offences of making indecent images of children between December 2018 and December 2019. 

He was jailed for 12 months and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

He is already the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Ipswich Crown Court heard on Monday that in 2003 Starck was convicted of two offences of indecently assaulting two boys aged eight and 14 and was given a community order.

In 2015 he appeared in court for three offences of making indecent images of children and was again given a community order.

He also appeared in court in 2011, 2017 and 2018 for breaching court orders.

Emma Nash, prosecuting, said Starck was subject to monitoring by police because of his history of sex offending and in December 2019 during a routine visit a conversation of a sexual nature with a teenager was found on his phone.

When his phone was analysed it was found to contain images in the most serious level A category

All the images related to boys aged between nine and 15 and there was evidence of him deliberately searching for the images

Defence for Starck said his client accepted having a sexual interest in boys aged between nine and 15.