Child abductor and sex offender.

A 'callous and devious' child abduction and sexual offences perpetrator from Ipswich has been jailed.

Jay Anderton, 20 of Foundation Street, appeared before Ipswich Crown Court on December 7 for sentencing. He had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of child abduction and two counts of sexual activity with a child.

The court heard how Anderton had been grooming, manipulating, and coercing a teenage girl into sexual activity since May 2023. The victim was reported missing on June 27, triggering a search of the town's waterfront where officers found Anderton with his victim nearby.

Anderton was arrested and charged following the incident. At his sentencing, he was jailed for 46 months. He was also handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offender register for life.

DC Lauren Patterson, from the Safeguarding Investigation Unit, stated, "Anderton callously and deviously manipulated a vulnerable teenage victim and exploited this vulnerability for his personal, perverted desires. This case involved excellent teamwork with the Child Exploitation and Gangs Team, working alongside the Safeguarding Investigations Unit to achieve this result and ultimately safeguard other vulnerable children within the community. My thanks go to all my colleagues involved in securing this conviction."