February 2016

Child rapist sentenced to 12 years

A depraved sex predator that repeatedly raped a very young girl over a number of years has been sentenced to 12 years in prison

Father of two Jim Clifford Weller, 25 of Folkestone appeared at Canterbury Crown Court where he faced a number of serious sexual offence charges, which included:

• Six counts of rape against a child aged under 13

• One count of sexual assault against a child aged under 13

The court was told that Weller began to groom the child for sexual activity for his own perverse sexual gratification.

Weller began molesting the child when she was just five. He raped her for the first time during that same year.

Further sexual abuse and repeated rape took place over the next six years until the victim reached 11.

The judge handed Weller a determinate sentence or 12 years. This means there is no parole board involvemnet and he will be released automatically at the halfway point which is February 2022.

A supervision period of six years will follow on his release and he will be required to register as a sex offender for life.