RICHARD MUGHTON OF HASTINGS SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES AGAINST YOUNG GIRLS IN BATTLE

In a significant case that has shocked the local community, Richard Moughton, a 59-year-old man from Fairstone Close in Hastings, has been sentenced to a total of seven years in prison after being found guilty of a series of heinous sexual offences committed against two young girls over a span of more than a decade.

His conviction was handed down at Brighton Law Courts on Friday, April 13, following a trial in which he was proven to have committed eight separate sexual offences. The court heard that these offences took place in Battle, a town where Moughton previously resided, with the abuse occurring between the years 1998 and 2010. The lengthy period over which these crimes occurred underscores the persistent and long-term nature of his offending.

During the sentencing hearing, the court was informed of the devastating impact of Moughton’s actions on his victims. One of the victims, Alex, who is now 26 years old, courageously chose to waive her right to anonymity to speak out about her ordeal. She expressed her relief and satisfaction with the sentence, stating, “I couldn’t be happier with the sentence, it’s more than what I expected he would get, so I think it was a good result. I’m pleased the judge agreed he is dangerous.”

Alex further shared her feelings about the case, saying, “It has given me some closure but more than anything I’m just happy that he won’t be able to do it to anyone else. I was angry that he denied it but he has made it worse for himself really. I think it just shows that they saw through him in the end.” Her words reflect the courage it took to come forward and the relief that justice has been served.

The judge, in her remarks, described Moughton’s conduct as ‘persistent and long-term abuse’ and emphasized that he had created an ‘atmosphere of fear’ for his victims. She expressed her belief that Moughton remains a danger to children, highlighting the ongoing risk he poses to the community.

In her sentencing remarks, the judge paid tribute to the bravery of both Alex and the second victim, who cannot be named due to legal restrictions, for their decision to report the abuse to the police. She offered her hope that the sentence would provide some measure of closure for the victims, saying, “I hope this [sentence] will provide you with some closure. Good luck to both of you.”

Regarding the sentence itself, Moughton was handed an overall prison term of 18 and a half months for each of the eight counts, with the longest individual sentence being three years. To reflect the severity and the sustained nature of his offending, the judge ordered some of the sentences to run consecutively rather than concurrently, resulting in a total of seven years behind bars.

Moughton is expected to serve half of this sentence in prison, with the remaining half on licence. Additionally, the court imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for a period of ten years and mandated that he be registered as a sex offender for life, measures designed to protect the community from any future risk he might pose.