BRIGHTON SEX OFFENDER LESLIE SOMMERFORD SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS FOR HISTORIC ABUSE

In a case that has deeply affected the Brighton community, Leslie Raymond Sommerford has been sentenced to a significant prison term after being found guilty of multiple historic sexual offenses. The conviction follows a harrowing revelation from a woman who endured years of abuse starting from the tender age of three.

According to court records, Sommerford, a resident of Brighton, was convicted on February 1 at Lewes Crown Court for a series of heinous crimes committed in Brighton. The charges included one count of rape against a woman now aged 20, which involved assault when she was just 15 years old. In addition, Sommerford was found guilty of 11 counts of indecent assault and one count of gross indecency, all involving a young girl who was between three and 16 years old at the time of the abuse. The victim, now 31, bravely testified about her ordeal, revealing the extent of her suffering.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, shared her emotional response to the conviction. She explained, “It was horrible. I was abused from the age of three until I was 16. Sometimes it was every other day, sometimes it was less frequent. For a long time I thought it was normal because I was so young and it happened so regularly. It wasn’t until I got older I realised it wasn’t normal. But I carried on because I was so scared if I stopped he would hurt somebody else. It made me feel sick.”

She further described the emotional toll of reliving her trauma, stating, “Reliving the ordeal over the past two years, when I first went to the police, was like having a knife put through my heart. But I believe justice has been served. I saw him walking down the street with two little girls, who were the same age I was when I was abused. Now, people know about him, and hopefully no one will ever trust him near their children again. I didn’t do it for any other reason.”

Following his conviction, Sommerford was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The court also mandated that upon his release, he must register as a sex offender for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions. This case has brought to light the importance of vigilance and the need to protect vulnerable children from predators lurking within communities like Brighton.