JOHN KNIGHT FROM BEXHILL SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS FOR RAPE AND RELATED OFFENSES

In September 2017, John Knight, a 66-year-old resident of Bexhill, was sentenced to eight years in prison for the rape of a 10-year-old boy. Knight, of Kingscott Close, was convicted at Lewes Crown Court on the previous day of raping the young boy at a different address in Bexhill in April 2013, as well as possessing extreme pornographic images that were not linked to child pornography.

The police discovered the images at Knight’s home during a search conducted after his arrest on suspicion of rape. As part of his sentence, Knight will be registered as a sex offender for life and was issued a Sexual Offense Prevention Order (SHPO) that severely limits his contact with children and his access to computers.

Despite entering a plea of not guilty, the victim was required to testify in court. The testimony was facilitated through a video recording, though Knight’s defense cross-examined him. Knight is expected to serve at least half of his prison sentence before being eligible for release.