Murderous paedophile Anthony Stocks from Goring jailed for life

A PAEDOPHILE who threw a boy off a cliff so he could carry on raping a young girl has been jailed for life.

A jury unanimously had convicted 54-year-old Anthony Stocks, formerly of Icieni Close, Goring, of four counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 and one count each of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, rape and attempted murder.

Returning to Oxford Crown Court for sentencing, Stocks was sentenced to life in prison, and must serve a minimum of 19-and-half years.

A joint investigation between Thames Valley Police and Sussex Police found that Stocks had formed a plan to kill the boy when he tried to stop him raping the girl.

Stocks had previously taken the boy to a quarry in Oxfordshire with a plan to push him off the edge, but changed his mind.

However, on September 24, 2022, Stocks took the child to a set of cliffs at Ovingdean, near Brighton in Sussex, where he carried out his plan.

The boy sustained extensive serious injuries, but miraculously, survived.

The court heard Stocks had subjected the girl to rape and multiple sexual assaults.

The boy, who became aware of Stocks’ offending, attempted to intervene to stop the abuse - and it was then that Stocks hatched his murderous plot.

Deputy Senior Investigating Officer, Det Sgt Rachel Jackson of Thames Valley Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “I am pleased that today, Stocks has been handed a very significant sentence for his horrific and evil offences against two young children.

“Stocks is an extremely dangerous individual, who had no thought about anybody but himself, to protect himself from prosecution by removing the boy from the equation.

“He has never shown any remorse throughout the course of this investigation.

“I would like to praise both victims for their unbelievable courage and resolve that helped us to bring Stocks to justice.

“They showed immense maturity and clarity, both in their interviews with police and at court, about what had happened to them.

“It’s because of this truly inspirational courage that Stocks has now been brought to justice and will now be in prison for long time, where he deserves to be.

“In my years investigating child abuse, this is one of the worst cases I have dealt with, and the impact that this has had on both victims, as well as all of the officers and staff who investigated this, is not to be underestimated.

“Both victims have continued to show courage and resolve, and are moving on with their lives magnificently, with support networks in place for them both.

“Both victims have continued to show courage and resolve, and are moving on with their lives magnificently, with support networks in place for them both.”

If you are a victim of sexual offending, report it to the police online, or via 101.

Always dial 999 in an emergency.