Law enforcement has praised the “courage” of a child rape victim who characterised her 46-year-old assailant, Hadleigh Paedophile Martin Woods, as a “monster”.
Martin Woods, already incarcerated for sexual offences, was sentenced to a further 22 years at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday.
In sentencing Woods, Judge Emma Peters stated that she contemplated imposing a life sentence due to the potential risk he posed for committing major future offences.
Woods has previously refuted charges of child sexual abuse involving penetration of a child under 13, two counts of attempted penetration of a child under 13, two counts of rape of a child under 13, and one count of sexual assault of a child under 13 occurring between 2011 and 2014.
In May 2021, he was sentenced to 15 years of incarceration, followed by an extended license period of six years for child sexual crimes.
Judge Peters stated that the victim in the present case emerged after observing the media coverage.
In her victim statement, she characterised Woods, previously of Hadleigh, Stowmarket, Felixstowe, and the Ipswich region, as a “monster” and alleged that he deprived her of her innocence.
Detective Constable Kate Hutson stated: “Woods is a perilous offender who has demonstrated a consistent pattern of behaviour in befriending young families to sexually exploit children.”
I concur with Judge Emma Peters, who praised the victim for her courage and tenacity. In a court statement, the victim articulated the difficulty of recounting her experience, stating that the words were so deeply repressed that she was unsure how to express them.
“She has demonstrated remarkable bravery in reporting the crimes committed against her and in assisting the investigation, culminating in her testimony at the trial.” I trust that the knowledge of Woods serving a minimum of 14 years and eight months before to parole eligibility will provide her with a degree of closure.
Woods was found guilty of all six charges by a 10-2 majority conviction in December of the previous year and, following the jury’s decision, he received a sentence of 22 years accompanied by a six-year extended license period.
He will not be available for consideration for release by the parole board until he has completed 14 years and six months of his sentence.
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