PHILIP OLIVER SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS FOR ABUSE IN SHURDINGTON AND WORCESTER

In September 2019, a harrowing case of child sexual abuse culminated in the sentencing of Philip Oliver, a 70-year-old man from Shurdington, near Cheltenham. The victim, a woman who endured years of trauma at Oliver's hands, courageously confronted her abuser during the proceedings at Worcester Crown Court, where she detailed the profound and lasting impact his actions had on her life.

As she faced Oliver, her voice trembling with emotion, she recounted the pain and suffering inflicted upon her during the 1970s in Dines Green, Worcester. Her statement was a powerful testament to her resilience, describing how her childhood was stolen and her life irreparably damaged. She spoke of living with fear, shame, and a pervasive sense of distrust, alongside physical and mental anguish, guilt, and low self-esteem. Her words painted a stark picture of a life overshadowed by the horrors she endured, which she described as a burden she had carried for so long that it had become her normal existence, a mere shadow of true living.

Oliver, a diminutive and stooped man who worked as a milkman and resided on Wilson Road in Shurdington, was convicted by a jury the day before the sentencing. The court found him guilty of multiple heinous crimes committed between 1974 and 1980, including sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, four counts of indecent assault, and four counts of gross indecency with a child. The evidence revealed that Oliver meticulously planned his offenses, using condoms and spermicidal foam to conceal his actions. He coerced the young girl into performing sexual acts on him and also engaged in sexual acts upon her, exploiting her innocence and vulnerability.

Judge Nicolas Cartwright addressed the court, emphasizing the grooming process Oliver employed over several years. He noted that Oliver was aware of the girl’s lack of emotional maturity and sexual understanding, which he exploited. The judge highlighted the physical and emotional damage caused by Oliver’s actions, acknowledging the victim’s remarkable courage in recounting her story. He pointed out that, at times, the victim had expressed some degree of enjoyment during the abuse, a disturbing reality that many victims find difficult to face but which underscores the complex psychological effects of such trauma.

The victim had initially reported the abuse to police in 1993, but no charges were brought at that time. It was only after she reported the matter again in 2016 that Oliver was arrested and formally charged. During her testimony, she recounted confronting Oliver in the 1980s, to which he responded dismissively, laughing and asking, “Is that all you’ve got to say?”

Judge Cartwright criticized Oliver for his callousness, stating that he had mocked and dismissed his victim, treating her suffering as collateral damage. He pointed out that Oliver could have admitted his guilt in 1993, which would have resulted in a different sentencing outcome and likely a shorter prison term. Instead, Oliver chose to deny any wrongdoing, maintaining a facade of a happy family life in the decades following the abuse, a denial that deeply hurt his victim.

The court acknowledged the limitations of the law at the time of the offenses, noting that the most serious charge—sexual intercourse with a girl under 13—carried a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Nonetheless, the judge considered the case aggravated by the grooming, the severe psychological harm inflicted, the victim’s young age, and the degradation involved. Oliver was sentenced to 16 years in prison, with the court stipulating that he will serve half of that term before being considered by the Parole Board to determine whether it is safe for him to be released back into society.