Dangerous sexual predator has sentence increased
The Court of Appeal has increased the sentence of a dangerous sexual predator after it was referred under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
The Court heard that Ian Elliott, 71, from Pulborough, was a well-known member of the community. He was chairman of the local sports association and was involved in local social clubs.
But after his arrest in September 2022, it was uncovered that Elliott had raped and sexually assaulted multiple young men – who were as young as 16 – in West Sussex over two decades.
In November 2022, Elliott was charged with 92 separate offences, including 13 rapes, three attempted rapes, 13 sexual assaults, and 20 counts of voyeurism.
The Solicitor General, Robert Courts KC MP, said:
Ian Elliot is an extremely dangerous predator, abusing his position of trust to commit some of the most horrific rape and sexual offences against young men. I wish to extend my deepest sympathises to his victims and their families as they come to terms with this.
The Court of Appeal quite rightly agreed his sentence was unduly lenient and his sentence increase should serve as a stark warning that sexual offenders will always be punished to the full extent of the law.
At Lewes Crown Court on 2 November 2023, Elliot was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment with an extended sentence of 5 years for 11 counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, 17 counts of voyeurism, eight counts of sexual assault, four counts of possession of Class A, B, and C drugs, one count of causing actual bodily harm, and one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
On 16 May 2024, Elliott’s sentence was increased to an extended determinate sentence of 32 years, comprising 27 years imprisonment and a 5-year licence period after it was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.