IFOR WHITTAKER'S SHOCKING SEX CRIMES IN SUTTON AND SUSSEX REVEALED

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Sutton and the wider Sussex area, a former Church of England priest, known as Ifor Whittaker, has been convicted and sentenced for a series of heinous sexual offenses committed against a young boy during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Whittaker, who was 73 years old at the time of sentencing, resides on Rectory Road in Sutton. His crimes span a period from February 1987 to February 1991, during which he engaged in multiple acts of sexual misconduct against a boy who was between the ages of 10 and 14 at the time. The court proceedings, held at Hove Crown Court, resulted in Whittaker receiving a total prison sentence of 16 years for his actions.

The charges against him included inciting the young boy to commit acts of gross indecency, as well as actual acts of gross indecency, sexual assault, and conspiracy. The conspiracy charge involved Whittaker collaborating with another vicar, Roy Cotton, who has since passed away. Cotton was accused of participating in acts of indecency with the boy and was previously known to be a close associate of Whittaker. The court heard that Cotton, who was the vicar of nearby Brede in East Sussex, had also been implicated in the abuse, although he is no longer alive to face justice.

Detective Constable Chris Smith, a member of the Sussex Police complex abuse unit, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the case. He emphasized the vulnerability of the victim, now a man in his forties, who was exploited by Whittaker during his childhood. Detective Smith stated, “The victim, now a man in his forties, was a vulnerable child when Whittaker took cynical advantage of him for his own sexual gratification.”

He further explained that the victim described Cotton as his principal abuser, stating that Cotton “passed me over like a toy to be borrowed by a friend,” highlighting the disturbing nature of the abuse. The police investigation, which began in 2012, was initiated after the Diocese of Chichester provided information suggesting that the victim might have been sexually assaulted by Cotton in the late 1990s. At that time, Cotton was the vicar of Brede, and he died in 2006. Whittaker, who was the vicar of Sedlescombe in East Sussex during the period of the offenses, was identified as a close friend of Cotton.

Throughout the investigation, the victim initially did not disclose the full extent of the abuse. He had discussed the assaults by Cotton and had met Whittaker through Cotton but did not initially reveal any misconduct by Whittaker. It was only in 2014, after further police inquiries as part of Operation Perry—a large-scale Sussex Police investigation into clergy abuse—that the victim disclosed the full scope of the abuse.

He revealed that Whittaker had systematically abused him at the Sedlescombe vicarage, a revelation that significantly impacted the case and led to the conviction. The police and court proceedings have been praised for their thoroughness in bringing justice to the victim and holding Whittaker accountable for his actions. The case underscores the ongoing issues of abuse within religious institutions and the importance of safeguarding vulnerable individuals from predatory behavior by those in positions of trust.