Nuneaton man jailed for 25 years for historic child sexual offences
William Proctor found guilty of abuse spanning eight years
A 75-year-old man from Nuneaton has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for historical sexual offences committed against a child aged between six and 13, over an eight-year period.
William Proctor, of Heath End Road, was convicted by a jury at Warwick Crown Court earlier this year on charges including two counts of rape, five counts of indecent assault, and two counts of committing buggery. He had denied the allegations but was found guilty.
The offences, which occurred between 1991 and 1999, were reported by the victim via an online disclosure in 2023, prompting a police investigation and Proctor’s subsequent arrest.
Appearing before Warwick Crown Court on Thursday 18th December, Proctor was sentenced to 24 years in prison for the rape and buggery charges, with an extended licence for one year. Additionally, he received sentences of ten years, nine years, and four years for the indecent assault offences, all of which will be served concurrently.
The court also imposed an indefinite restraining order against Proctor and required him to sign the Sex Offender’s Register for life.
Commitment of the victim and police response
Detective Constable Jamie Russell from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) praised the courage of the victim, saying: “Coming forward to disclose offences of this nature takes a huge amount of bravery. I want to thank the victim in this case for their strength and commitment throughout the course of the investigation.
“The offences were a dreadful ordeal for a young child to have to go through when they should have been free to enjoy their childhood.”
Russell also reassured others who may have experienced similar abuse, adding: “By speaking out, even after so many years, they have made sure that Proctor is behind bars where he can’t hurt anyone else.
“I would like to stress that, as this case has shown, we take all reports of non-recent sexual abuse extremely seriously and we thoroughly investigate every report we receive, placing the victim's needs at the heart of the case, regardless of how long ago the offence occurred.
“I would encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault, or knows someone who has, to come forward and speak to us. We will listen to you, and we will investigate."
Those seeking support can report offences to Warwickshire Police confidentially via www.warwickshire.police.uk/ro/report or call 101. In emergency situations, always call 999.
Further support is also available through charities like Safeline, offering free, independent, and confidential assistance to survivors of sexual abuse.
For more advice and resources, visit Warwickshire Police’s dedicated support page on sexual offences.