GEORGE CORNWALL'S SHOCKING CRIME IN WITHAM AND OXFORDSHIRE: PAEDOPHILE'S RAPE CONVICTION UPHELD

In August 2022, a disturbing case involving Geoffrey Cornwall, a man from Witham, Essex, who was convicted of heinous sexual offenses against a young girl, reached a significant legal milestone as his appeal was dismissed. Cornwall, aged 57 at the time, had been sentenced to nine years in prison at Oxford Crown Court last May after a jury found him guilty of raping a 13-year-old girl during the mid-1990s.

According to court records, Cornwall, then 32 years old, initially met his young victim when she began delivering newspapers in Oxfordshire, taking over her brother’s paper route. Cornwall shared a residence in Oxford with his then-wife at the time of the offenses. The girl, who was just 13, developed a crush on Cornwall, who affectionately called her ‘Nectar’. She recounted that Cornwall’s attention made her feel special, and she was drawn to the older man’s company.

One of the more disturbing aspects of the case was Cornwall’s use of music to manipulate the girl. He reportedly sang Savage Garden’s hit “To the Moon and Back,” a song released in September 1997, which contains lyrics such as “I would fly you to the moon and back if you’ll be my baby.” The girl told detectives in 2018 that Cornwall’s singing and attention made her feel valued, which contributed to her trust in him.

She also described their first sexual encounter, which took place in her bedroom. She admitted feeling embarrassed by her room’s childish décor but believed Cornwall enjoyed their intimacy. She stated that Cornwall had asked her, “Do you want to do this?” before they first had sex. Although she felt unsure and not very ready, she agreed because she wanted to appear more grown-up.

Further allegations revealed that Cornwall had raped the girl in a work van belonging to Amtrak Express Parcels and in a field. Last year, a jury convicted Cornwall by a majority of 10 to 2 of raping the girl during their initial sexual encounter. However, the jury acquitted him of the other alleged rapes in the van and the field, and they could not reach a verdict on additional charges of indecent assault.

Cornwall, who resides in Witham, Essex, consistently denied any wrongdoing, claiming that both his victim and his ex-wife fabricated the allegations against him. His legal team sought to challenge his conviction by appealing to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the jury’s verdicts were inconsistent and that the trial judge made errors in her legal instructions.

During the appeal hearing, Michael Magarian QC argued that the conviction for the first rape was incompatible with the jury’s acquittal on other counts. He contended that the judge should have dismissed the initial rape charge midway through the trial because, based on the girl’s account, Cornwall had asked her if she consented, which suggested she was not coerced. Magarian also claimed there was no evidence of grooming to seduce the girl into non-consensual sex.

Furthermore, Cornwall’s lawyers argued that the judge’s directions to the jury were flawed. They claimed that the judge’s instructions, which advised jurors to disregard stereotypes about victims of sexual offenses and clarified that the Crown was not required to produce corroborative evidence, were legally incorrect.

However, Lord Justice Fulford, delivering the panel’s judgment, dismissed these arguments. He stated that the three-judge panel disagreed with Magarian’s characterization of the jury’s verdicts as “a complete mess,” emphasizing that the jury likely reviewed the evidence carefully and conscientiously.

Addressing the issue of whether Cornwall’s questioning of the girl indicated genuine consent, Lord Justice Fulford explained that grooming can involve securing apparent consent, which may not be genuine. He highlighted that such behavior can be a sophisticated form of grooming, where the defendant’s actions make it less likely for the victim to report abuse later.

In conclusion, the appeal was denied, and Cornwall’s conviction for the initial rape was upheld. The case underscores the complexities of legal proceedings involving historical sexual offenses and the importance of careful judicial review in ensuring justice is served.