Lewes Crown Court hears harrowing testimony as young victim describes rape, beatings and cigarette burns by father, grandfather and brothers
A teenage girl has told Lewes Crown Court how she endured years of systematic rape and torture at the hands of three generations of her own family, in what prosecutors describe as one of the most severe cases of child abuse to come before the courts.
The 13-year-old victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, recounted in a three-hour recorded police interview how she was sexually abused by her father, grandfather and two brothers whilst being physically tortured by both parents. The abuse continued until she was 12 years old, when she finally found the courage to tell school staff she was too terrified to return home.
Jennifer Knight KC, prosecuting, told the jury the girl had suffered abuse “at the hands of both her grandfather, parents and siblings” in conditions that subjected her to unimaginable cruelty within her own home. The experienced prosecutor, who specialises in serious sexual offences and has developed particular expertise working with vulnerable witnesses, is leading the Crown’s case in what has become a deeply harrowing trial.
Years of Systematic Abuse
The court heard the girl’s father allegedly subjected her to horrific physical torture alongside the sexual abuse. Prosecutors said he would lash her with a horse-whip, burn her with cigarettes as punishment, and repeatedly rape her when her mother left the house. He used to burn me with cigarettes a lot,” the girl told police interviewers, rolling up her sleeve to show the scars on her wrist and arm that she said resulted from her father’s attacks.
Her older brother, ten years her senior, allegedly began sexually abusing her when she was just six years old. The court heard he started raping her when she turned nine, using both bribery and physical violence to ensure her compliance. When she refused his advances, prosecutors said, he would resort to beating her into submission.
Even her grandfather participated in the abuse, the jury was told. In her police interview, the girl described how he came to the family home on Christmas Day, knowing the family did not celebrate the holiday, specifically to assault her. The systematic nature of the abuse, spanning multiple family members across different generations, has shocked even experienced court officials.
Mother’s Brutal Response to Disclosure
Perhaps most disturbingly, when the young girl finally summoned the courage to tell her mother about the sexual abuse, she faced violent retribution rather than protection. “I told mum and she hit me,” the girl said in her police interview. The child alleged her mother then tied her up with ropes, locked her in a cupboard for up to two days without food, and burned her with lighters and candle wax.
The mother is accused of subjecting her daughter to sustained physical torture using various metal and wooden objects as weapons. Prosecutors told the court she would burn the youngster and then rub salt into the wounds to prevent them from healing properly, leaving permanent scarring. The girl was forced to use makeup to cover her extensive injuries, the court heard.
Sussex Police launched their investigation in January after the girl, then aged 12, confided in school staff that she was too frightened to return home. She has been living in foster care since that disclosure. “I was really scared to go back home because I knew mum and dad would hit me a lot,” she told police. “I said I don’t feel comfortable going home because of my parents. I told how my parents keep abusing me and they’ve been doing it for years.”
Financial Exploitation
The abuse extended beyond physical and sexual violence to include financial exploitation. The court heard the girl’s mother would confiscate any money given to her daughter by other family members, including traditional Eid gifts. “Sometimes I get money for Eid. My mum would take it away and spend it,” the child told police, highlighting the comprehensive control exerted over every aspect of her life.
Defendants Show No Emotion
As the girl’s recorded testimony played in court, her father and brothers sat hunched over in the dock, resting their chins on folded arms. The mother, father and both brothers sat together at one end of the dock, showing no visible emotion as the girl described years of sexual abuse and torture to police interviewers. Their impassive response stood in stark contrast to the horrific allegations being detailed in the young victim’s testimony.
Mother Begs for Father’s Freedom
The girl’s mother has denied all allegations against her and the other family members, claiming her daughter is lying. In a development that prosecutors say demonstrates the family’s attempts to manipulate the victim, the mother allegedly told her daughter that her grandfather “was too old to be in prison for life,” attempting to guilt the child into withdrawing her allegations.
The prosecution revealed the girl had indeed wavered in later police interviews, at one point denying she had been locked in a cupboard and expressing a desire to “protect her family at court” because they would be in “a worse position.” However, Jennifer Knight KC argued this demonstrated not dishonesty but the enormous psychological pressure placed on a child victim testifying against her entire family.
“The prosecution suggest however that she gave truthful accounts in January and March of this year, when she described at length the conditions of her home life, and the abuse she has suffered,” Knight told the jury. “You may think she has found the pressure of telling the truth about her family too much to bear, particularly in the face of her mother’s having impressed upon her the many ways in which she has ruined all their lives.”
National Context of Child Sexual Abuse
The case comes as a total of 86,962 sexual offences against children were recorded by police across the UK in 22/23, according to NSPCC data. Research suggests around 1 in 20 children in the UK have been sexually abused, though experts believe the true figure may be higher as much abuse goes unreported.
The Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse reports that concerns around sexual abuse have been identified for almost 2,400 children in the UK who are the subject of a child protection plan or on a child protection register. The organisation notes that over a third of all police-recorded sexual offences are against children, with girls and older children more likely to experience sexual abuse.
Child protection experts emphasise that the vast majority of children who experience contact sexual abuse were abused by someone they knew, making familial abuse cases particularly complex for authorities to identify and prosecute. The hidden nature of intrafamilial abuse often means children suffer for years before finding the courage or opportunity to disclose.
Prosecution Challenges
Cases involving child victims present unique challenges for prosecutors. Jennifer Knight KC, who has developed particular expertise in enabling complainants with profound communication difficulties to give evidence, frequently works with intermediaries to support vulnerable witnesses through the court process. She has contributed to writing the Advocate’s Gateway Toolkits, which provide guidance on questioning vulnerable witnesses.
The Crown Prosecution Service maintains specialist units, including the Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, to handle such complex cases. These units work closely with police forces and child protection services to build cases that can withstand the scrutiny of trial whilst minimising further trauma to child victims.
Support Services Under Strain
The case highlights the critical importance of schools and teachers in identifying and reporting abuse. It was school staff who ultimately provided the lifeline this victim needed when she disclosed her fear of returning home. Sussex Police worked swiftly following the disclosure, removing the child to safety and beginning their investigation.
Child protection services across the UK face mounting pressure as demand increases. The NSPCC operates a helpline for adults concerned about a child’s welfare, whilst their Childline service provides direct support to children experiencing abuse. However, campaigners warn that years of funding cuts have left services struggling to meet demand.
The Trial Continues
The family members face multiple charges relating to rape, sexual assault, child cruelty and false imprisonment. If convicted of the most serious charges, they could face life imprisonment. The trial at Lewes Crown Court is expected to continue for several more weeks as the prosecution presents its case.
The young victim, now 13, remains in foster care as she attempts to rebuild her life away from the family that allegedly subjected her to years of unimaginable cruelty. Her courage in speaking out, despite enormous pressure to remain silent, has been praised by child protection advocates who hope her case will encourage other victims to come forward.
As the legal proceedings continue, this case serves as a stark reminder of the hidden nature of child abuse within families and the critical importance of believing and protecting children who find the courage to speak out about their experiences.
The trial continues.
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