ICAN NIXON SENTENCED IN ROCHDALE FOR DECADES-LONG SEXUAL ABUSE CASE
A man who was sexually abused by a rapist in Rochdale when he was just six years old has played a crucial role in securing the conviction of his abuser, after providing detailed evidence over more than thirty years since the incident.Ian Nixon, now 57, was sentenced to over 13 years in prison yesterday after pleading guilty to three charges, including rape, dating back to 1988.
Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court was told that Nixon abused the young boy at a house in Rochdale on three occasions between January 1988 and December 1989, while he was supposed to be caring for him.
The victim contacted police in the summer of 2019, offering graphic details of multiple incidents inflicted by Nixon during that period.
Detectives from GMP Rochdale's Child Protection Investigation Unit swiftly interviewed Nixon, who was residing in Blackpool at the time.
He claimed he did not remember the victim and could not recall the specific incidents described, but he did not deny they had occurred.
Nixon, currently of no fixed address, was subsequently charged with buggery, indecent assault, and gross indecency.
He pleaded guilty in December 2022.
He has now been sentenced to serve 13 years and four months in prison and has been ordered to sign the sex offenders register.
The victim, now in his 30s, has been supported throughout the case by specialist officers and partner agencies.
Detective Constable Dave Neil of GMP Rochdale’s Child Protection Investigation Unit praised the bravery of the survivor, stating: "Firstly, I have to pay tribute to the patience and stoicism of the survivor of this depraved abuse, as it is his bravery when coming forward and the subsequent detail of his evidence that has ensured Nixon will now rightly spend many years behind bars." He continued, emphasizing the severity of the abuse: "The campaign of sexual abuse that Nixon subjected his young and vulnerable victim to when he was supposed to be in his care was utterly appalling and something the boy has had to grow up dealing with mentally and emotionally all the way up to adulthood." Detective Neil also reaffirmed the commitment to justice: "It’s clear that no abuser can escape the consequences of their actions, no matter how long ago their offending was, and we will do our utmost to bring anyone responsible for such deplorable abuse to justice, while also supporting any victim of recent or historical sexual harm."
