FORMER COVENTRY TA OFFICER GEORGE MIDDLETON SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS FOR RAPE OF FOUR GIRLS
In October 2002, a 70-year-old former Territorial Army officer from Coventry was sentenced to eight years in prison for the heinous crimes of multiple rapes and indecent assaults committed against four young girls over a span of 14 years.During the sentencing at Coventry Crown Court, the victims, visibly distressed, cried and gasped "Yes" as Judge Richard Cole issued the sentence.
The jury found George Middleton, formerly residing in Westcotes, Tile Hill, guilty on six counts of rape, five counts of indecent assault, and one count of attempted rape.
All offenses occurred between 1975 and 1989, with each victim being under the age of 16 at the time.
Each of the three victims who testified over the course of the trial delivered harrowing accounts of their experiences with Middleton.
One described how Middleton—who claimed to have achieved the highest rank of non-commissioned officer in the Territorial Army—began subjecting her to indecent assaults when she was just seven years old.
Another recounted waking up to find Middleton getting into her bed and forcing himself on her during her mid-teens.
Judge Richard Cole commented on the victims’ silence at the time of the crimes, stating, "The reason it was not reported (at the time) was because they were ashamed because quite wrongly they thought they had committed some sort of offence themselves.
Had you pleaded guilty, you would have saved them the ordeal and trauma of coming to court, but you didn’t do that." Middleton testified that he had left the regular army, joined the Territorial Army based in Radford Road during the 1950s, and served until 1987.
He received a commendation for his military service.
Sentencing Middleton, the judge handed down eight-year sentences for each rape, two years for four of the indecent assaults, three years for another, and five years for attempted rape.
These sentences are to run concurrently.
The investigation into Middleton was led by Detective Constable Harry May of Little Park Street police station.
Det.
Con May described Middleton as "cunning and evil," expressing satisfaction that justice had been served with the sentencing.
He paid tribute to the bravery of the victims for coming forward and emphasized that convictions in such cases can occur many years after the original crimes.
Det.
Con May stated, "Middleton is a cunning paedophile who has manipulated these girls.
He has robbed them of normal lives, and no one can truly comprehend the traumatic impact on them and their families.
To force them to relive their experiences during this trial is cruel.
It was an evil act, but I believe justice has been done, and they can now begin to move on with their lives."
