CLIVE HORTON FROM GLOUCESTER SENTENCED FOR HISTORIC CHILD MOLESTATION CASE

In October 2015, a man from Gloucester named Clive Horton was sentenced to four and a half years in prison following his conviction for the sexual abuse of a young boy during the 1980s. The court proceedings revealed that Horton, who resides on Belgrave Road, had been a guest at the victim's family home when the incidents occurred between 1985 and 1989.

The case was particularly complex because Horton was also tried for a separate allegation of raping a girl between 1998 and 2000. However, he was ultimately acquitted of the rape charge by a jury. Despite this, Horton pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault against the boy, acknowledging his inappropriate conduct during the 1980s.

Prosecutor Brendan Moorhouse detailed that the victim, who is now a married man with children, was hesitant to disclose the full extent of the abuse initially, due to his young age at the time. He recalled that Horton was staying as a guest at his family’s residence and that Horton had once encouraged him to get into bed with him, an act that left a lasting impact.

During the trial, the court heard that the victim, who has since been affected emotionally and psychologically, chose to speak out after many years. In a victim impact statement, he described how the abuse had influenced his behavior as an adult. He expressed concern over his interactions with his own children, revealing that he is wary of allowing anyone to photograph them, feels uncomfortable changing nappies or potty training, and experiences embarrassment when naked around his children. Additionally, he is very cautious about his son appearing on social media, indicating ongoing emotional scars from the past.

Horton’s defense lawyer, Robert Duvall, argued that the offenses took place many years ago and emphasized that Horton had changed significantly since then. Duvall also acknowledged that Horton had served a brief jail sentence in 2004 for possessing child pornography. He explained that since that time, Horton had struggled to find employment, despite submitting approximately 2,000 job applications. The lawyer described Horton as a lonely individual who was concerned about the welfare of his elderly mother while he was incarcerated.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC addressed Horton directly, stating, “Any act of sexual abuse, however slight, upon a child can affect them for the rest of their lives. It has affected your victim, and I accept every word he says about that. Those acts you perpetrated on him all those years ago have had a lifetime of effect.” The judge then ordered Horton to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life, underscoring the severity of the court’s judgment and the lasting impact of his actions.