Keith Clifton, of Tanyard Close in Horsham, subjected the girl, who is now a woman in her 20s, to sexualised behaviour and sexual assaults for many years.
On the victim’s 5th birthday, the 58-year-old began to rape her, continuing on a regular basis until she was around 13 years old.
Clifton was arrested at his home in 2018 after the victim approached Sussex Police.
She was given support by specialist officers while an investigation was launched.
Clifton was subsequently charged with six counts of rape of a girl under 13, five counts of assault by penetration, four counts of assault by touching, two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child and one count of causing/inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity.
Following a two-week trial at Hove Trial Centre concluding on Friday, January 23, Clifton was convicted of five counts of rape, four counts of sexual assault by penetration and five counts of sexual assault on a child. The remaining charges resulted in a hung jury.
At the same court on Monday (February 23), he was jailed for 22 years and subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Detective Sergeant Ellen Jones said: “This significant custodial sentence reflects the immense harm caused by Keith Clifton to his victim.
“While he will now spend a significant portion of his life behind bars, the trauma this courageous woman must live with is nothing short of a life sentence. The strength she has shown to support this investigation cannot be overstated, reading out her own victim impact statement in court to say she feels ‘she has her life back’.
“I also commend the investigating officer for their diligence in a complex, distressing investigation that has resulted in a successful outcome and another dangerous offender off the streets of Sussex.
“If you are a victim of sexual offending, no matter how long ago, please report it to us. We will do all we can to get you the justice you deserve.”
There are a range of independent services that can help if you are a victim of sexual offending including:
- Survivors Network: providing emotional and practical support.
- Life Centre: trauma-informed therapy and counselling services.
- Mankind: dedicated support for male victim-survivors delivered by men.
- Veritas Justice: independent support for victims of stalking
Find out more about the free support available to victim-survivors of crime on the Safe Space Sussex website.
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