NOTTINGHAM MAN JAILED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF YOUNG GIRLS
A sexual abuse survivor has expressed her profound and lasting impact from the actions of Robert Clifton, who was sentenced to nearly 15 years in prison.Clifton, aged 66 and residing on Cheapside in Worksop, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, May 31, to a total of 14 years and nine months after pleading guilty to six counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14.
The court revealed that Clifton sexually abused two young girls over an eight-year period, with the victims reporting his offences to the police in April and July 2022.
One of the victims highly encourages others to come forward and speak with authorities about their experiences.
She stated: "I wanted to go to the police since I was 19 and tried to take my own life, but I was reluctant because of how it would have affected those around me.
People always say 'why did they wait this long?' but they don't understand everything else that's playing along in the background and how people react and don't support victims of these type of offences." The survivor also expressed satisfaction that Clifton received a sentence that reflects the damage inflicted.
"I am pleased with the sentence that he received and it's nice to see it accurately reflect the damage that he's done.
But the impact will never be undone." She added: "I've got to live with this for the rest of my life, and there'll be plenty of occasions for this to still be a trigger for me.
It will never be something that I can escape." The victim also wished she had reported earlier, saying: "I almost was not here living to see this.
I now urge everybody to report it as soon as they can." During her victim impact statement, she shared: "It’s been more than 30 years since you first abused me, but I still remember all of it as if it was yesterday.
I still feel your hot breath in my ear whispering 'we shouldn’t be doing this' as if I was in agreement or was complicit in the abuse of my 10-year-old body.
When I was 18, I couldn't cope with what you had done to me, to the point that I tried to take my own life because that felt like the best option to live with the trauma.
Despite surviving, I still suffer from nightmares, flashbacks, and ongoing fear." Following one victim’s report to another police force, the case was transferred to Nottinghamshire police, where detectives launched a detailed investigation.
Clifton was found guilty of six counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14.
Detective Constable Ella Redfern from Nottinghamshire Police praised the victims' courage and emphasized the importance of reporting abuse, including incidents from many years ago.
She expressed hope that Clifton’s imprisonment provides some comfort to the victims and reassures the public that sexual abuse is taken seriously in the area.
Support services for sexual abuse survivors are available in Nottinghamshire, and details can be found on the police website.
The article emphasizes the importance of speaking out against abuse and the police’s commitment to thorough, compassionate investigations.
