June 21, 2019 12.14 pm This story is over 56 months old

Man who abused three children jailed for 24 years

He was convicted of 18 sexual offences

A Stamford man who carried out a campaign of sexual abuse against three children was jailed for 24 years.

Michael Brian Hayes, 65, was convicted of 18 sexual offences, including six charges of rape, after a trial at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday.

The offences occurred over an eight year period between 2008 and 2015.

Passing sentence Judge Simon Hirst told Hayes that his abuse was “systematic” and “purely for his own gratification.”

Judge Hirst said: “Your abuse, which you carried out for your own gratification, has rightly been described as a campaign.”

Hayes, of Hillary Close, Stamford, was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

The Judge told him: “My assessment of you today is that you are dangerous.”

Duncan O’Donnell, prosecuting, told the court two of the victims were young girls and the third was a young boy.

Mr O’Donnell read out statements from two of the victims who both described their “anger” and episodes of self harm as a result of the abuse.

Hayes was sentenced to 24 years imprisonment and must also serve an extended licence period of two further years following his release from jail.

Mark Watson, mitigating, told the court Hayes was not a healthy and fit young man.

Mr Watson said: “He is under constant watch and has been since he was remanded in to custody.

“Shortly before his trial he was hospitalised, and that wasn’t his first effort to harm himself.”