Locations
Surrey, Hampshire and London
Description
A "predatory" child sex offender who abused a victim for more than six years has finally been brought to justice and jailed.
Raymond Hollis, 79, was sentenced on Tuesday (January 12) to 16 years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to 12 counts of historical child sex offences dating back to the 1970s.
Guildford Crown Court has confirmed the offences took place in Surrey, Hampshire and London.
The victim, from Westbury in Wiltshire, was abused between the ages of five to 11 and kept it to themselves for 45 years before finding the strength to contact the police in 2019.
Hollis was tracked down and arrested on April 8, 2019. Following an investigation, he was charged on Christmas Eve of 2019 with six counts of indecent assault on a child under 13, and six counts of gross indecency with a child under 13 between 1973 and 1979.
He pleaded guilty to 11 of the 12 counts on November 30 last year, having already pleaded guilty to the other count at an earlier hearing.
Investigating officer detective constable Mike Powell, from the Sexual Offences Investigation Team, said: "The victim has shown remarkable courage and bravery in coming forward and reporting this offence to police.
"As a result of their actions, a dangerous and predatory sexual offender will be prevented from committing further similar crimes against others.
"This conviction sends a clear message to anyone who believes they have been a victim of sexual abuse that we will do all we can to investigate each case fully and seek to prosecute those responsible.
"Likewise I hope that this sentence sends a clear message to the perpetrators of these offences that no matter how much time has passed, serious sexual assaults will not be tolerated by Surrey Police and we will do everything within our power to hold them accountable for their actions and bring them to justice."
Commenting after the sentencing, an NSPCC spokesperson said: "Thanks to the bravery shown by this survivor of child sexual abuse, Hollis is now facing justice for his terrible actions.
"We want those who have endured these offences to know they will be listened to when they speak out, regardless of how many years have passed since their ordeals took place, or who the abuser is.