JAMES ‘JAMIE’ NEEDHAM JAILED FOR RAPE IN LITTLEHAMPTON

In July 2017, a man was sentenced to 13 years in prison for the rape of a 12-year-old girl in Littlehampton, along with two additional assaults on the same victim. James ‘Jamie’ Needham, aged 23, was found guilty at Lewes Crown Court on charges of one count of rape, one of sexual assault, and one of assaulting a child under 13. The assaults increased in severity, culminating in Needham raping the girl at knifepoint during the final attack.

He received a 13-year sentence for the rape and a five-year sentence for the other two assaults, to run concurrently. Lorna Lee from the CPS explained, “The defendant consistently denied the charges against him, which related to a young and vulnerable child. Along with her compelling account, we were able to rely on evidence of Facebook contact between them which demonstrated the defendant’s escalating sexual interest in her. His additional use of emojis in those messages illustrates how they tell a story just as well as words.”

She added, “Having heard all the evidence, the jury took less than three hours to convict Needham of all offences. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the young witness for her courage at coming forward and in giving evidence in this difficult case.”