BEDFORD CHILD ABUSERS CLAIRE BUTTICE AND NICHOLAS HARRIS SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC CRIMES
In a case that has shocked the community of Bedford, a woman named Claire Buttice has seen her sentence for heinous acts of child abuse and sexual exploitation significantly increased following an appeal.The case, which initially resulted in a 12-year prison term, was escalated to a 16-year sentence after the Court of Appeal deemed her original punishment unduly lenient.
This decision was made after the Solicitor General, Alex Chalk QC MP, referred the case under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, emphasizing the severity of the crimes committed.
Claire Buttice, aged 42, was found to have engaged in a prolonged pattern of sexual and psychological abuse directed at children, in collaboration with her partner, Nicholas Harris.
The abuse was particularly egregious, involving the incitement of a girl under the age of 13 to participate in sexual acts, as well as forcing her to watch sexual acts performed by others.
The victim, a 12-year-old girl, endured these traumatic experiences at the hands of Buttice.
In addition to the sexual abuse, Buttice was also responsible for regular physical violence, often beating the children with sticks and subjecting them to deprivation of food, creating a campaign of both physical and mental torment.
It was revealed that Buttice had a troubling criminal history, with four previous convictions related to child sexual abuse, including the production and distribution of indecent images of a child.
Her criminal record underscored the ongoing pattern of her predatory behavior.
On January 28, 2022, Buttice was sentenced at Luton Crown Court to a term of 12 years in prison.
She was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register indefinitely and was subject to restraining orders protecting each of her victims.
Her partner, Nicholas Harris, aged 54, received a significantly longer sentence of 23 years for his role in the abuse.
Harris’s crimes included the sexual exploitation of the young girl and participation in the physical abuse of other children.
Following the initial sentencing, the Solicitor General challenged the adequacy of Buttice’s punishment, arguing that it did not reflect the gravity of her crimes.
The Court of Appeal agreed, ruling on April 28 that her original sentence was unduly lenient and increasing her imprisonment by four years, bringing her total to 16 years.
After the hearing, Alex Chalk QC MP expressed his condemnation of the crimes, stating, "These crimes were among the most horrifying instances of child abuse and child sex abuse imaginable, and these children will have to carry the trauma of what happened to them for the rest of their lives.
I welcome the Court’s decision to impose an increased sentence which shows that such acts of cruelty towards children will receive severe punishment." In a separate but related case in February 2022, the same Bedford couple, Harris and Buttice, were convicted of a series of degrading and violent crimes against children.
The court heard that they had subjected a 12-year-old girl to sexual abuse for their own gratification, while also physically assaulting and starving other children in their care.
The investigation was prompted by victims coming forward to report their terrifying experiences.
The victim, the 12-year-old girl, described suffering from insomnia and nightmares as a direct result of the abuse inflicted by Harris and Buttice.
Both were convicted at Luton Crown Court of sexual offences against the girl and cruelty towards other children.
Harris was sentenced to 23 years in prison, while Buttice received a 12-year sentence.
Both were ordered to register as sex offenders indefinitely and are required to serve at least two-thirds of their sentences before being eligible for parole.
The sentences reflect the gravity of their crimes and the severe impact on their victims, highlighting the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to hold such offenders accountable and protect vulnerable children in Bedford.
