Man jailed for 28 years for historic sexual offences against a child

An investigation led by our Child Abuse Investigation Team has resulted in a dangerous sex offender being jailed for 28 years.

Keith Ruggles, 75, previously from Stratford, appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Thursday, 18 April, where he was sentenced by the judge who called him out to be a “dangerous” individual.

An investigation into Ruggles was launched in June 2022 after Essex Police received a report of non-recent sexual abuse against a child. At the time of the report, Ruggles was in prison, serving a 21-year sentence for a separate sexual offences investigation.

Enquiries were launched within Essex Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Team, with the investigation being managed by PC Jane Grieve.

PC Grieve said “From the moment we received this report, our priorities were to support the victim and conduct a thorough investigation. Our enquiries revealed that Ruggles had sexually abused the victim on multiple occasions, starting when she was just 9-years-old.

“These enquiries can often take time, in order to be as thorough as possible. By January 2023, following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Ruggles was charged with rape of a child under 13, three counts of assault by penetration of a child under 13 and sexual touching of a child under 13.”

Keith Ruggles appeared in court in March 2023 and pleaded guilty to all counts. He appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Thursday, 18 April where he was sentenced to 28 years in prison to run concurrently with his previous sentence. The judge ordered him to serve a minimum of 20 years, meaning he won’t be eligible for parole until he’s 96.

In a victim impact statement, the victim described the impact that these offences had on her:

“The emotional effects on me are long lasting and wide ranging.

“Before I disclosed to the police, I used to lock myself in my room and not speak to anyone or be around anyone. I used to feel so anxious before I first disclosed.

“I have now gone through some therapy that has helped me to connect to my feelings. Initially, I didn’t want to do this. I have kept this dark, horrible secret for so long.

“All I wanted to have was a normal childhood which he stole from me.”

PC Jane Grieve added “This victim has conducted herself with dignity throughout this investigation and she should be extremely proud of the strength she has shown.

“No one should ever have to go through this and I hope that she is able to put this horrific ordeal behind her, knowing that Ruggles will be behind bars for an extremely long time.”

D/Supt Neil Pudney said “Keith Ruggles is a dangerous man who will now behind bars for a very long time.

“I have no doubt that the strength of the case built by PC Jane Grieve and her colleagues in our Child Abuse Investigation Team gave Ruggles no other choice but to plead guilty.

“This week alone, our Crime and Public Protection Team have put perpetrators behind bars for a combined total of over 50 years and I’m so proud of the work they do every day to protect vulnerable people.

“At Essex Police, we are achieving better results than ever when it comes to investigating non-recent sexual offences. I hope, that if this is read by anyone who may think that too much time has passed to report what happened to them, that this isn’t the case. Please report and we will continue to work closely with our partners to support you.”

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: https://synergyessex.org.uk/