Man jailed for six years over sex offences dating back 25 years

A man has been sentenced to six years in prison after he was found guilty of sexual offences dating back 25 years.

Richard John Tilley, of no fixed address, was convicted of three counts of indecent assault when he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on 11 September for a three-day trial. He was immediately remanded into custody and has now been subsequently sentenced.

All offences date back to 1998 and involve a child.

The 52-year-old was given a custodial sentence when he appeared before court officials on Friday, 22 September.

He was also added to the sex offenders register for life and was handed a sexual harm prevention order.

Investigating officer DC Caroline Pendell said: “I would like to thank the victim for having the courage to come forward and having the confidence in the police and criminal justice system to bring the offender to justice.

“No matter how long the time has passed since the offences have been committed, their voice needed to be heard and a thorough investigation conducted.

“The victim in this case has remarkable strength and courage.

“The sentence is a credit to the testimony she gave with the support of an ISVA from Spring Lodge.

“I’d also like to pay tribute to Spring Lodge, the Sexual Assault referral centre in Lincoln and the importance of the work they do every step of the way from report to court.”

If you’ve been the victim of rape or sexual assault, please report it to us as soon as possible.

Even if you’re not 100 per cent sure, we want to hear from you so that we can make sure you’re safe.

If you’re not ready to talk to the police just yet, that’s OK.

Follow this link here - Support for victims of rape and sexual assault | Lincolnshire Police (lincs.police.uk) to find out what other organisations can help and support you.

You can report a rape and sexual assault here - How to report rape and sexual assault | Lincolnshire Police (lincs.police.uk)