Paedophile jailed for sex offences in Takeley involving child

A paedophile has been jailed for sexual offences in Takeley involving an underage girl.

Lee Bass, 40, was found guilty of 14 counts following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court last month.

A jury found Bass, of Lordscroft Lane, Haverhill, guilty of indecent assault, indecency with a child, six counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and two counts of sexual assault of a child.

Bass was also guilty of two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two counts of sexual activity with a child.

The victim was aged under 15 at the time of the offences, which happened in Takeley and Bishop’s Stortford between 2001 and 2012.

Bass was jailed today (Monday) for six years and the court imposed a sexual harm prevention order on him, as well as forcing Bass to sign the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Detective constable Stacie Collins, of the Brentwood child abuse investigation team, said: “Bass denied the offences and put the victim through the distressing ordeal of giving evidence in court.

“She has shown great bravery throughout the investigation and trial, and I hope the sentence handed down today will give her some closure.”