A dangerous paedophile who had ingratiated himself with young families in order to sexually abuse children has been sentenced to 22 years in prison. Martin Woods, previously residing in Hadleigh, Suffolk, will also face an additional six-year extended licence period following his release. The 46-year-old perpetrator was found guilty of six offences, including the sexual abuse of an underage girl over a decade ago.
This latest conviction adds to Woods’ existing sentence, which he received in 2021 after confessing to sexually assaulting a different child. As part of his sentencing, Woods will be on the sex offenders register for life and is subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Detective Constable Kate Hutson of Suffolk Police described Woods as a dangerous individual who habitually targeted young families as a means to exploit and harm children.
Prior to his trial in December, Woods faced charges including three counts of attempted assault on a girl under the age of 13 by penetration, two counts of rape of a girl under 13, and one count of assault on a girl under 13 by touching. The court informed Woods that he would not be considered for release by the parole board until he has served a minimum of 14 years and six months in prison.
Detective Constable Hutson commended the bravery and resilience of Woods’ victim, who had struggled to articulate the trauma she had endured. The victim’s statement to the court conveyed the immense difficulty of recounting her experiences, illustrating how profoundly the abuse had affected her. Despite the challenges, she exhibited tremendous courage by reporting the crimes and cooperating with the investigation, culminating in her testimony during the trial. Detective Constable Hutson expressed hope that the knowledge of Woods’ significant prison term would offer the victim some form of closure.
In addition to his recent conviction, Woods had previously been incarcerated in 2021 for the rape and sexual assault of a child under 13, as well as for five charges related to possessing or creating indecent images of children. Suffolk residents can stay informed about local news through platforms such as BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X.
