NEIL CLOUGH SHIPLEY TEACHING ASSISTANT SENTENCED FOR RAPE IN BRADFORD

In April 2005, Neil Clough, a teaching assistant from Shipley, was sentenced to a five-year prison term after a jury found him guilty of raping a 14-year-old girl. The trial, held at Bradford Crown Court, revealed disturbing details about Clough's actions and the circumstances leading to his conviction.

Neil Clough, aged 37, was a married man and father of four young children. He also volunteered at a local playscheme, which made the allegations and subsequent conviction particularly shocking to the community. The court heard how Clough had developed an infatuation with the girl prior to the assault, which culminated in a violent attack in the back of his car.

Throughout the trial, Clough maintained his innocence, denying the charges of rape and sexual activity with a minor. However, the jury, composed of three men and eight women, unanimously found him guilty on all counts. The evidence presented was deemed clear and convincing by the court.

During the sentencing hearing, Timothy Capstick, representing Clough, argued that his client’s life was now in ruins. He highlighted that Clough, who had no previous criminal record, was likely to lose his family home because his wife would be unable to continue mortgage payments. Capstick emphasized Clough’s contributions to the local community over the years, suggesting that he was not a habitual offender.

Judge Peter Benson, presiding over the case, ordered Clough to register as a sex offender for life. The judge described the conviction as based on “clear evidence” and condemned Clough’s actions as a calculated and serious breach of trust. “You engineered a situation, then you assaulted her and then raped her,” Judge Benson stated. He also pointed out that the offense was aggravated by the significant age difference between Clough and the victim.

The court detailed how Clough, of Gaisby Drive, Windhill, Shipley, had engaged in flirtatious behavior with the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons. In the days leading up to the assault, Clough had sent her numerous text messages, calling her “love” and “babe.”

On the night of the attack, in August of the previous year, the girl was in the back seat of Clough’s car. He asked her for a goodnight kiss, which she refused. Despite her refusal, Clough climbed into the back seat and assaulted her. Prosecutor Sharon Beattie told the jury that the girl “simply froze” during the incident. She recounted that Clough asked her, “Do you like it?” and that she was unable to speak. Ultimately, Clough forced himself on her and raped her.

The court heard that the girl blamed herself for not resisting more strongly, saying she should have slapped Clough and gotten out of the car. She also admitted to not telling anyone immediately because she was afraid of getting into trouble.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Benson made it clear that Clough would never be allowed to work with children again. He also prohibited him from having any unsupervised contact with minors, other than his own children, for the rest of his life, emphasizing the severity of the offense and the breach of trust involved.