In 2026, the Offender Database reported that Keith Clifton, then 58, of Tanyard Close, Horsham, West Sussex, was convicted of a “reprehensible” string of rapes and sexual abuse against a young girl. Following a two-week trial at Hove Trial Centre that concluded on Friday, 23 January 2026, Clifton was found guilty of 14 “vile” charges involving the “systematic” exploitation of a child.
The investigation established that Clifton began his “abhorrent” behaviour when the victim was just four years old. The court heard that on the victim’s 5th birthday, Clifton began to rape her, continuing these “vicious” attacks on a regular basis until she was approximately 13 years old. The victim, now a woman in her 20s, “bravely” approached Sussex Police in 2018, leading to a “critical” and thorough investigation into the non-recent abuse.
Trial Verdict and Judicial Findings
The prosecution reported that Clifton was found guilty by a jury of six counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration, three counts of assault by touching, two counts of sexual activity with a child, and one count of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on three remaining charges. The prosecution emphasised that Clifton had “calculatingly” used his position to “persistently” abuse the child over several years.
Specialist officers provided “critical” support to the survivor throughout the eight-year process from arrest to conviction. The court noted that the “gravity” of the offences, particularly the “systematic” rape of a child starting on her 5th birthday, marked Clifton as an “appalling” predator. Clifton showed no “compassion” for his victim throughout the proceedings and was remanded in custody following the “serious” verdict.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
Keith Clifton has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, 23 February 2026, at Hove Trial Centre. He faces:
- Custodial Sentence: A significant term of years in immediate custody (to be determined at sentencing).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements will remain in place for life.
- SHPO: A Sexual Harm Prevention Order will be issued to restrict his future conduct indefinitely.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Clifton is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Sussex Police. His history of “persistent” and “systematic” rape of a young child over nearly a decade means his status remains under “critical” scrutiny.
As a lifetime member of the Sex Offenders Register, Clifton must comply with strict notification requirements regarding his address on Tanyard Close, Horsham, West Sussex. Authorities state that the “persistence” of the investigation team has ensured that this “dangerous” predator faces a lengthy period of incarceration. Any breach of his future registration conditions following his eventual release will result in his immediate return to Hove Trial Centre.
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