SAMUEL NUGENT SHOCKS NOTTINGHAM WITH SEX CRIMES AGAINST YOUNG GIRLS, ESCAPES JAIL
In a case that has sent shockwaves through Nottingham, Samuel Nugent, an 86-year-old former church elder, was spared imprisonment after being found guilty of heinous sexual offenses committed against young girls during the 1970s and 1980s.The court proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of abuse carried out by Nugent, who was a respected figure within his community at the time.
On Monday, Derby Crown Court handed down an absolute discharge to Nugent, who was notably absent from the courtroom during the hearing.
It was explained that the pensioner, residing at the Lyn Gilzean Court care home in St Ann’s, suffers from dementia, rendering him unfit to stand trial or plead to the charges.
Despite this, a jury had previously found him responsible for all ten allegations brought against him in a February hearing, which included three counts of rape, six counts of indecent assault, and one additional rape, all involving girls under the age of 16.
The accusations detailed a disturbing abuse of power, with Nugent, who was a prominent church elder, exploiting his position within a Nottingham city church to commit these acts.
The victims, whose identities remain protected, endured these assaults during a period when they were particularly vulnerable.
The court heard that the crimes spanned over several years, with Nugent targeting multiple girls, including a girl he raped three times and another he indecently assaulted six times.
During the sentencing, Judge Nirmal Shant emphasized the gravity of Nugent’s actions, stating, “This does not in any way detract from the seriousness of what this defendant did and the havoc he wreaked on each of these complainants’ lives.” She further condemned his conduct, describing it as “wicked” and “perverted,” carried out from a position of religious authority and trust within the church community.
Given Nugent’s severe health issues, including near blindness, near deafness, and an inability to walk unaided, psychiatrists had assessed him as unfit to stand trial.
The judge explained that, under sentencing guidelines, her options were limited to a hospital order, supervision order, or an absolute discharge.
Considering his fragile physical and mental health, and the fact that medical professionals confirmed he posed no risk to himself or others, she concluded that an absolute discharge was the only appropriate course of action.
The court also heard that Nugent’s physical disabilities significantly impair his daily functioning, with witnesses describing his dependence on assistance for basic mobility.
Judge Shant acknowledged the frustration of the victims but reaffirmed that Nugent’s health condition prevented a traditional trial process.
She expressed understanding that the victims, especially one who had been raped as a teenager, felt they had not received justice, stating, “These three complainants have had to wait a long time to see justice but it is right to say that they don’t feel they have had justice.” One victim, whose identity remains protected, provided a heartfelt statement describing the lasting impact of Nugent’s abuse.
She shared, “I don’t trust people easily and my relationships have suffered greatly.
I have been put in a situation where I just felt used and even to the point of feeling abused.
There have been times where I have sat and cried and times where I didn’t want to be here because of what he did to me.
It seems like a lifetime that I have carried this with me.” The court acknowledged the profound emotional scars left on the victims, noting that their faith in people, their church, and the criminal justice system had been deeply damaged.
Judge Shant remarked, “The result for her and the other complainants in this case was that they lost their faith in people, they lost their faith in their church and they are frustrated with the criminal justice system.
On the face of it, given the serious nature of the offending, it may seem incongruous to some and I understand that.” Regarding Nugent’s association with the church, officials clarified that he no longer holds membership and was working there on a voluntary basis as a lay preacher at the time of the offenses.
A church spokesperson confirmed that Nugent was never formally employed by the church, but his voluntary role did not exempt him from scrutiny or accountability for his actions.
