Man sentenced to 16 years in jail for child sex offences dating back to the 1980’s

The 65-year-old was found guilty of two counts of rape and numerous counts of indecent assault on a child under the age of 13.

Joseph Fay was found guilty by majority jury verdict of two counts of rape and numerous counts of indecent assault, on a child under the age of 13 following a trial at Oxford Crown Court in March.

The court acquitted Fay of two other counts of indecent assault, and the jury was unable to reach a verdict on an additional count of indecency with a child.

The crimes took place in the 1980s in Oxford, where Joseph Fay subjected the victim to multiple instances of sexual assault and rape. The victim, who was a child at the time, reported the offences to Thames Valley Police in 2020.

Fay was subsequently charged on 17 February 2021.

Fay returned to the same court on 19 May for sentencing, where he received an extended prison sentence.

Karen Zoldan, who worked on the Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “The victim in this case has had to endure many months of waiting, largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic causing a backlog of cases.

“But she wanted her voice to be heard and we were determined to bring Fay before the courts to be held accountable for his horrendous offending.

“The impact that this abuse has had on the victim has shaped her life and had a massive impact on her.

“I would like to pay tribute to her for her patience and for putting her trust in us to bring Fay to court.

“No matter what the passage of time, Thames Valley Police will always investigate offences of this nature, and I hope this sends a strong message to those who believe they can get away with offences from many years ago.

“Thanks to the courage of the victim in this case for coming forward, Fay will now serve a very lengthy prison sentence as a result of his actions, and I hope that this will help the victim to move on with her life.”