Matthew Bailey (Image: South Wales Police)
Last Updated: 2 minutes ago
A 37-year-old man from Bonymaen in Swansea has been sent to prison for two years and six months after a jury convicted him of six sexual offences against children, committed around two decades ago.
Matthew Bailey was found guilty following an investigation by South Wales Police. It began when one of the girls he abused came forward as an adult.
The convictions
Bailey was convicted of:
- Two counts of gross indecency with a girl under the age of 16
- Two counts of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl under 13
- One count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child under 13
- One count of causing a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity
How the case came to light
The investigation started in 2023, when a woman reported what Bailey had done to her. The abuse had begun about 20 years earlier.
As officers looked into her account, they identified a second victim who had also been sexually abused by him.
Police response
Detective Constable Stuart Alban praised both women for speaking up. He said:
“Matthew Bailey committed horrifying offences against two girls who were under the age of 10.
“At that age, the victims’ lives should have been about nothing other than going to school and playing with their friends. Matthew Bailey snatched those most innocent of years away from them.
“This took immense courage for the victims to come forward and report Matthew Bailey’s offending to us. We thank and acknowledge them for doing so, and hope that they can finally feel free of the weight and burden that this has had upon them for so long, knowing that this dangerous man is behind bars.”
