Sex abuser jailed after 30 years

The victim is now a successful businesswoman

A 65-year-old man has been sentenced to three-and-half years in jail for sex offences committed 30 years ago.

Frank Newberry had pleaded guilty to four charges of indecent assault after his victim, 13 at the time, reported the crimes to the police in 2002.

The victim said Newberry sexually assaulted her on many occasions when he gave her lifts home from a riding school in Enfield, north London.

Newberry was sentenced on Thursday at Wood Green Crown Court.

The victim, identified only as Amy and now a successful 45-year-old businesswoman, only decided to come forward two years ago.

Since this has happened to me I have thought about it daily Amy

She contacted the police's Operation Sapphire team, which investigates sex cases in London.

Because the allegations went back to the early 1970s and the stables no longer existed, police knew it would be difficult to trace Newberry.

Eventually they found the grandfather running a business selling vitamins for horses.

Newberry, from Royston, Hertfordshire, pleaded guilty to four counts of indecent assault when he appeared in court in July this year. Four counts of rape are to lie on file.

'Courage and bravery'

Laura Brickman, defending, said Newberry admitted there had been about eight incidents of sexual contact or sexual intercourse but "not to the extent the complainant says that occurred".

The court heard that the retired electrician had a daughter of a similar age at the time of the attacks and was a "well-known character in the horse world".

Amy, who now lives in Hertfordshire, said she suffered in her teenage years and finds it difficult to form relationships.

The last thing Frank Newberry expected was for police officers to come knocking on his door after having evaded justice for over 30 years Det Insp Gerry McDonald

She said: "I felt relieved when I found the courage to tell the police, they were very sympathetic.

"Since this has happened to me I have thought about it daily.

"I do wish I'd told the police a long time ago but even though this happened to me over 30 years ago the police were still able to investigate and get a conviction."

Det Insp Gerry McDonald said: "She should be applauded for her courage and bravery for bringing her suffering to our attention.

"This cold case is groundbreaking in that Newberry was convicted without the reliance of DNA evidence and illustrates we are committed to revisiting historical unsolved rape allegations and taking them through the criminal justice system.

"The last thing Frank Newberry expected was for police officers to come knocking on his door after having evaded justice for over 30 years."