JAMES PHILIPS FROM CALNE AND READING SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE IN READING

In a disturbing case that spans over a decade, James Philips, a man originally from Calne, Wiltshire, has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term after being convicted of multiple child sex offences committed in Reading. The crimes, which involved two young girls, began when the youngest victim was only four years old and continued over a period of 14 years, ending in 2011.

Philips, aged 32 at the time of sentencing, resided on Springfield Drive in Calne. His criminal activities came to light after a thorough investigation by police, which revealed a series of heinous acts committed against the victims, whose identities have been protected. The case was brought to court with the support and praise of the victims, who demonstrated remarkable bravery in coming forward to share their traumatic experiences.

During the trial, Philips was found guilty of seven serious child sex offences that occurred between 1997 and 2011. These offences included three counts of inciting a girl under 14 to perform acts of gross indecency, involving victims aged between eight and eleven years old. Additionally, he was convicted of two counts of raping a girl under 16, one count of sexual assault against a girl aged between four and six, and a further charge of inciting a girl aged between seven and ten to engage in sexual activity.

The court sentenced Philips to 15 years in prison for each of the rape charges, with these sentences to run concurrently. For the other offences, he received an additional five-year term, to be served consecutively. Notably, Philips was acquitted of three other charges of indecent assault related to a different victim, indicating that the jury did not find sufficient evidence for those allegations.

All of these offences took place within the Reading area, and the case has been described as an historic one due to the length of time over which the abuse occurred. Detective Constable Lisa Flitter, from Milton Keynes CID, commented on the case, emphasizing the importance of justice. She stated, “This was an historic case which happened in the Reading area and although the offences date back to 1997, this sentence shows that Philips has not been able to escape justice.”

She further praised the victims for their courage, saying, “The victims have shown great bravery in coming forward to tell police about the horrific acts that Philips carried out, and I am pleased that he has today received a strong punishment. I hope that the knowledge that Philips will be behind bars for a long time will help the victims to move on from their ordeal.”