DERBYSHIRE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE VICTIM SPEAKS OUT AS TERENCE BEEBE SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS IN JAIL

A courageous sexual assault survivor from Derbyshire has expressed her relief following the sentencing of Terence John Beebe, who was convicted of repeatedly raping her when she was a schoolgirl. The victim, whose identity is protected by law, is now urging other victims of sexual abuse to come forward in order to seek justice.

Derby Crown Court heard that Beebe, 68, from Chesterfield, assaulted the girl during the 1980s, when she was aged between 12 and 15. In February, Beebe was found guilty of four counts of indecent assault committed between November 1981 and June 1984. Although he was acquitted of one count of rape related to the period between November and December 1981, the jury failed to reach a verdict on other rape allegations, which led to a retrial.

During the retrial, the jury convicted Beebe of five rape counts spanning from November 1981 to February 1985. Following the sentencing, the victim from Chesterfield shared her feelings of relief, stating, “It has been very emotional and the fact that the court has come back with a sentence of such magnitude shows that I have been vindicated.” She added, “I was shocked by the length of the sentence, but it is no less than he deserves. I have never felt defined by this. I am still me, and he has not taken that away from me.” She also praised the support from her family, friends, and the justice system, saying, “I have had nothing but exemplary treatment from the whole justice system and the police, and I have been supported by my family throughout. I have nothing but praise for everyone.”

The survivor emphasized the importance of encouraging other victims to come forward and pursue justice, mentioning her own consideration of volunteering with a charity to assist others in similar situations.

Prosecutor Tony Stanford described how Beebe began assaulting the girl at age 12 after mistakenly believing she had a crush on him. Mr. Stanford explained, “She said he took her hand and he said, ‘I know how you feel about me and I know what you have written in your diary and I can show you what happens.’”

He recounted that Beebe once drove into a layby where he kissed and molested the girl in his car. The victim reported that days later, she was raped for the first time when she was left alone with Beebe, with subsequent assaults occurring at a garage and an empty property near Chesterfield.

Mr. Stanford detailed that Beebe would often pre-arrange to meet the girl secretly, taking her to a garage where she was raped on a dirty pink rug, and instructed her to wait at a nearby phone box from age 13 for his call.

The victim reported these crimes to police in 2015 after experiencing health issues that brought her sexual history into question. Inspired by the success of high-profile sex offence cases, she located Beebe and pursued legal action.

Beebe, who now resides on Lime Walk, Long Sutton, near Spalding in Lincolnshire, denied all allegations, claiming they were fabricated and that the girl was infatuated with him.

Judge Robert Egbuna highlighted Beebe’s prior convictions and the previous acquittal on a rape charge before the jury convicted him of five counts. The court was informed that three of these rape counts involved multiple offences.