PHILLIP LEIVERS FROM SKEGNESS FACES SERIOUS CHARGES IN LINCOLNSHIRE CHILD RAPE TRIAL

In June 2014, a disturbing case unfolded involving Phillip Leivers, a man with deep ties to Skegness, who faced serious allegations of child sexual abuse. The proceedings took place at Snaresbrook Crown Court, where the former East Lindsey District Council councillor was accused of multiple counts of rape, indecent assault, and indecency with a child. The allegations stem from incidents involving a young girl, now an adult, who came forward with her testimony after years of silence.

According to court records, Leivers, aged 79 and previously known for his role as the manager of the Hammersmith Apollo Theatre, admitted to some inappropriate contact with the girl. He claimed that after she felt unwell at a cinema, he had walked her home and subsequently allowed her into venues to see bands and films without charge. The girl would often visit his office, which was part of the context of their interactions.

The jury was informed that Leivers acknowledged touching the girl on two separate occasions. The first incident reportedly occurred when she was around 11 or 12 years old, coinciding with her start at secondary school. Leivers described her appearance in her school uniform, recalling her as a very pretty girl dressed in a brown uniform, including a skirt. During this encounter, he recounted a game where he asked her to guess the colour of her underwear, which he described as a light-hearted, albeit inappropriate, interaction.

Leivers stated, “It was when she was starting at secondary school. She came in her school uniform and she did look lovely. She really was a very pretty girl. It was a brown uniform, with a brown skirt and everything, and I said ‘I suppose you’ve got brown knickers on as well’. She said no, and I said they must be dark blue, and she said no, and then I said maybe white, and she said no. I said ‘well you’ll have to show me then’, and she did.”

He further claimed that the game continued as he touched her, describing feelings of embarrassment and a sense of needing to send her home. Leivers expressed a belief that he was viewed as a father figure, stating, “We got on extremely well. I did see myself as a bit of a father figure actually.” Despite these admissions, he insisted that he only had one other physical encounter with the girl, which occurred years later when she visited his home early on a hot summer morning. During that visit, they took a shower together, an incident he described without elaborating further.

Prosecutor Ian McLoughlin questioned Leivers about the nature of his relationship with the girl, asking, “You gave her tickets and sweets and money, what did she have to give you in return for that?” Leivers responded, “Nothing, she was a lovely girl and I can’t believe she’s gone into the witness box to say there was sexual intercourse.”

The alleged victim, now an adult, provided a statement recounting how she saw Leivers on television discussing wind turbines in her district, which prompted her to contact the police. Her decision to report the incidents marked a significant moment in her life, leading to the charges against Leivers.

Leivers, who represented Chapel St Leonards on East Lindsey District Council, resigned from his position in October of the previous year following the allegations. He resides at Maplebeck, Sea Bank Road, Skegness, Lincolnshire. He denies all charges, which include seven counts of rape, seven counts of indecent assault, and five counts of indecency with a child. The trial remains ongoing as the court continues to hear evidence and testimonies related to these serious allegations.