JEFF KNBIB FROM HUYTON AND PETERBOROUGH SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN LIVERPOOL

In a disturbing case that spans nearly two decades, Jeff Knibb, a man originally from Huyton and later residing in Peterborough, has been convicted and sentenced for heinous sexual offences against children. The case first came to light when a young boy, only 14 years old at the time, experienced a traumatic incident in the early 2000s. The boy awoke to find Knibb, a known paedophile, in his bed performing a sexual act on him. This horrifying event left a lasting scar on the victim, who later recounted the incident to his mother. Unfortunately, at the time, the judicial response was dismissive; a judge remarked that his mother appeared reluctant to pursue the matter further and suggested that the boy should not be making such accusations.

Nearly 20 years later, in September 2019, the victim, now an adult, saw a newspaper report detailing Jeff Knibb’s recent imprisonment for similar offences. Knibb, aged 50 at the time, had been incarcerated for nine years after being convicted of molesting two boys during the 1980s and 1990s. One of these victims was assaulted while he was sleeping, echoing the earlier incident from the early 2000s. The publication of Knibb’s face in the media caused the victim to feel physically ill, but it also prompted him to make a formal complaint to the police, reigniting the case.

Prosecutor Martine Snowdon detailed to the court how the victim had told police that he woke up to find Knibb in his bed molesting him. She explained that Knibb appeared surprised to be caught and told the boy to go back to sleep. The victim’s personal statement described the abuse as terrifying and recounted the lasting emotional impact it had on him. He described experiencing flashbacks, trembling physically, and feeling sick after reading about Knibb’s other offences in the newspaper. The court heard that the trauma from these events had a profound effect on his mental health.

During the sentencing hearing in September 2019, the court was informed that Knibb had committed multiple offences against two children. One victim was molested up to 20 times, including an incident where he woke to find Knibb abusing him. The impact of these crimes was devastating; the victim spoke of how the abuse had ruined his life, leading to suicidal thoughts and self-medication with alcohol. The second victim also described how the abuse affected his entire life and expressed feelings of guilt.

Jeff Knibb admitted to 12 counts of indecent assault and two counts of indecency with a child related to these offences. Judge David Aubrey, QC, sentenced him to nine years in prison, emphasizing that his actions had “destroyed their childhood” and left lasting emotional and psychological scars. The judge stated that the victims would carry these scars for the rest of their lives.

In a separate incident, Knibb, then in his 30s, was arrested for a recent attack. Initially, he claimed he would confess to the offence but later provided a no comment interview to police. He pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault. Recorder Harris sentenced him to an additional two and a half years in prison, to be served consecutively to his previous sentence, effectively extending his release date by approximately 15 months. Furthermore, Knibb is required to sign the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

On September 27, 2019, Merseyside Police publicly welcomed the sentencing, reaffirming their commitment to justice for victims of sexual abuse. The police highlighted that Jeff Knibb, now 47 and residing in Paynesholme, Paston, Peterborough, had pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault against children under 14 from the early 1990s. His imprisonment and lifelong registration as a sex offender serve as a stark reminder of the importance of justice and safeguarding vulnerable children from predators.