Hastings man sentenced for rape and sexual offence in East Sussex

Mathew Taylor, 50, stood trial at Lewes Crown Court accused of rape of a woman, coercive control, and two counts of sexual assault by touching on a girl under the age of 13.

He was found guilty of all the charges, which were reported to Sussex Police in 2021.

The victims, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were a woman and a girl in Sussex.

Police reported that they received support from specially trained officers, and were grateful for the support they received through the trial process.

Taylor, a tradesman of Priory Road, Hastings, was sentenced to a total of six years and nine months in prison.

He must serve two-thirds of the sentence before he can be considered for release.

The court also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to restrict his access to children in future.

Speaking after the case Detective Sergeant Ella Cook said: “The victims in this case have shown great courage to come forward and report what happened to them.

“They stood up to a bully and have prevented him from causing any harm to anyone else in future.

“I would also like to thank the witnesses in this case who have given evidence.

“We take all reports of rape and sexual offences seriously, and support is available on the Sussex Police website for victims and survivors.

“This case demonstrates our determination to catch offenders and get justice for victims who come forward to us.”