Chelmsford: Man jailed over sexual abuse 35 years ago

Specialist officers have secured justice for the victim of sexual abuse more than 35 years after the offences took place.

On Friday (20 January) at Chelmsford Crown Court, Edward Cheverall was jailed for three years and given a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order having previously pleaded guilty two counts of indecent assault.

The offences date back to 1985 when the victim was a child.
Cheverall, of Tavistock Drive, Billericay, now 76, subjected the victim to regular assaults over the course of several months.

He was interviewed by our officers in November 2019 after the offences were reported to us the previous month. He was later charged with indecent assault.

Investigating officer DC Patrick Snape said:

“I want to praise the courage demonstrated by the victim in this case because these were traumatic assaults which have had a lasting impact on them.

“Edward Cheverall subjected them to a long-running campaign of abuse and he has now been held accountable for his actions.

“No child should be exposed to what the victim was and I think they have showed an incredible amount of bravery to tell us what happened.

“While, no sentence will turn back the clock but I hope this will help the victim move forward.

“I hope this case shows that you can get the justice you deserve, no matter how long ago the offences took place and I hope it will encourage other people to come forward.”

Support is there for anyone affected by rape and sexual abuse, and no victim or survivor is alone.

Synergy Essex provides specialist support for victims and survivors of rape and sexual abuse of all ages and all genders across Essex, Thurrock and Southend.
Synergy Essex is a partnership of rape and sexual abuse centres in Essex: CARA (Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse), SERICC Rape and Sexual Abuse Specialist Service and Southend-on-Sea Rape Crisis (SOS Rape Crisis).

Synergy Essex is independent from the police and provides support for victims and survivors throughout their journey.

Victims and survivors can self-refer, or be referred by a parent, partner, friend or professional and can access specialist emotional support, counselling and advocacy.

For victims and survivors who report to the police, Synergy Essex provides an Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) service, providing support throughout the criminal justice process.

For more information visit the Synergy Essex website: