London: A 101-YEAR-OLD British man was facing jail after he was convicted of a string of historic abuse offences against children.
Former lorry driver Ralph Clarke showed no emotion as he was found guilty of 21 abuse offences related to two girls and one boy between 1974 and 1983.
Prosecutor Claire Nicholls said Clarke had used “fear and intimidation” to control his victims.
“He took full advantage of their young age and the situation in order to carry out his offences.
“For over 40 years Clarke thought that he had got away with his crimes. Due to the courage of the victims we were able to bring him to justice,” she said.
Clarke, believed to be Britain’s oldest prison inmate, abused the children at his home, his garden shed and in his lorry, the court in Birmingham, , heard.
He admitted nine charges related to a boy during the trial and described the offences as “something that happened” in his past.
The jury took two days to reach its verdict. Britain has no statute of limitations regarding abuse and Judge Richard Bond said he was looking at a sentence for Clarke “in double figures”.
“The public would be horrified if I didn’t send him to prison,” Bond said, telling the court Clarke would be remanded in custody before he is sentenced tomorrow.
