Description
Clive Siddall jailed more than 40 years after raping and sexually abusing two young girls
A survivor of sexual abuse has spoken out after her abuser was jailed more than four decades later. In the early 1980s, Clive Siddall (born 03/05/1945), formerly of Oxted, raped one young girl and sexually abused another. Both victims knew him and long believed he would never face justice. He has now been imprisoned for those crimes.
In their victim impact statements, the women described the lasting harm. One said: “I had my life mapped out. I dreamt of joining the RAF and becoming a nurse.” She never returned to school after the abuse. “I was no longer able to concentrate and learning seemed pointless, as my future felt destroyed.” She added that the abuse left her life lacking “purpose, direction, and control.”
The other stated: “The feeling of having nobody to turn to or rely on has pushed me into making reckless decisions in my life.” Both struggled with mental health and turned to alcohol and drugs to cope. They described lasting difficulties forming relationships. One said: “I’m not sure I know what love is” and “I have built walls around me to protect myself from being hurt, but these walls also mean that nobody can get in.”
Both carried guilt into adulthood, fearing they had failed to stop Siddall from abusing others and blaming themselves for years.
In 2022, one victim disclosed the abuse to a medical professional, who reported it to police. Siddall denied the allegations when interviewed, responding “not true” and “no way.” He was charged in April 2024 with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault on a girl under 16, and four counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14.
A jury at Kingston Crown Court found him guilty of all six offences after a trial in March. On 14 July at Guildford Crown Court, Siddall was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment: 10 years for rape and two years for indecent assault (consecutive), plus a concurrent total of three years and three months for the remaining four indecent assault counts.
Investigating officer DC Fiona Clare said:
“Clive Siddall was in a position of trust in his victims’ lives, and he exploited this in the worst possible way. It is possible that he will now spend the remainder of his life in prison.
“Although this will not give the two survivors back the years of trauma they’ve lived through, I hope it brings them some relief to know that he is no longer able to hurt them or anyone else.
“Their courage is the reason Siddall is behind bars, and I hope that they can use this result as the starting point for the rest of their lives.”
If you have been a victim of sexual offences, it is never too late to report. Advice, information and a confidential online reporting form are available on our website. Every report is taken seriously.