Stuart May, aged 82, was unmasked as a paedophile in 2023 before being convicted of further sex offences against boys in the 1970s

A paedophile ex-scout leader had his jail time doubled for new offences after describing prison as ‘hell’. Stuart May committed a strong of offences against multiple boys in the 1970s the when he was a scout leader in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, preying upon his victims in his car, on trips and the scout hut.

May was exposed as a child sex predator in 2023 and admitted to 11 offences in relation to four boys before he was sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison.

Since then three more victims have come forward. And even though May, now 82, confessed his previous crimes he put the latest complainants through the ordeal of a trial. Stay in the know by making sure you’re receiving our daily newsletter

Ultimately they were vindicated and a jury found May guilty of six charges of indecent assault on a male and two counts of indecency with a child.

Some of the sexual attacks took place at his home and others in his scout office and at a public swimming pool, reports Birmingham Live.

At Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, June 18 he was sentenced to another eight years, to run consecutively to his previous term.

May, most recently of Leicestershire, had been expecting to be moved to an open prison ahead of a possible release in November next year but that has now been quashed.

One of the victims, who was the subject of five of the latest offences, said May had ‘destroyed so many young lives’.

He recalled blaming himself for the abuse he was subjected to and prayed every day because he was from a religious family and feared he would go to hell.

He told May that after he was gone he would be remembered in the ‘most horrific form’ as a child abuser and paedophile.

Peter Glenser, prosecuting, said May had groomed the boys and abused his position of trust.

Describing May’s demeanour at trial he added: “He expressed precious little insight into his offending and into the devastation he has reaped on the lives of young children.”

Sharon Bailey, defending, confirmed May was married but told the court both he and his wife were fortunate to have no serious health issues at present.

She said: “He is painfully aware his wife has been left on her own and he is painfully aware the sentence passed today may mean he never leaves custody.”

The barrister added: “Serving a prison sentence at his time of life has been particularly difficult. He was fortunate in two of the prisons he has been kept in, they had particular facilities for people of his age.

“At the moment he is in HMP Birmingham. He describes that experience as ‘nothing short of hell’.”

Ms Bailey concluded that May last offended in 1977.

Judge Roderick Henderson, passing sentence, told him: “This is the most obvious case of grooming and abuse of a position as a scout master who was trusted in the community.

“It was made worse by manipulating those boys to keep quiet, telling them they would be in trouble if they let anyone know what you had done to them.”

He added: “You told a lot of lies in this trial.

“One thing you did say that I have no doubt was true, was that between then and now you didn’t give those boys much thought at all until the chickens came home to roost.”

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