"Making the call to Essex Police was the best decision I could have made."
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"The officer in my case was absolutely amazing. She went above and beyond for me the whole time."
A survivor of sexual abuse has thanked our officers for their support, kindness and compassion after her sexual abuser was jailed following a complex investigation.
The woman, who now lives in Sheffield, said that she felt a great burden had been lifted and justice had been served.
"I wasn’t believed when I was young, but finally I had the strength to say what had happened to me. It was extremely difficult and traumatic at times, but the support from Essex Police and officers in Sheffield really helped me through.
"I feel like I can now start to repair my life. I don’t want anyone else to go through what I have been through, but making the call to Essex Police was the best decision I could have made."
'detailed and complex investigation'
Detectives from our Quest team launched an investigation in April 2019 after receiving reports of child sexual abuse which had happened 25 years ago in Essex.
Following a detailed and complex investigation William Emery, 71, was interviewed by officers in the beginning of 2020.
He repeatedly denied a number of allegations put to him, but committed officers secured charges in August 2022.
Emery was charged with two counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14 years and one count of incite a girl under 14 years of age to commit an act of gross indecency.
He continued to deny the allegations, but following a trial at Basildon Crown Court a jury found him guilty on all three counts on 3 September 2024.
At the same court on Friday 31 January, Emery, of Malet Close, Egham, Surrey, received a sentence of four years and 10 months, with one year to be served on licence in relation to the indecent assault charge.
He was sentenced to 12 months for the second indecent assault charge and 20 months in relation to the incitement charge, both to run concurrently.
He was also placed on the sex offenders register for life.
'immense courage'
Following the sentence, Det Con Jane Egerton from our Quest team, who investigate sexual offence reports where the victim was a child at the time of the offence but is now an adult, paid tribute to the survivor in this case for supporting this investigation.
"This has been a very difficult few years for her, but she has shown immense tenacity and courage. She was very relieved when the jury found her abuser guilty.
"At Essex Police we want to reassure anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault, you will be supported, and we will fully investigate.
"We are committed to bringing perpetrators to justice, but if you are not ready to report an incident to us there is a lot of support available across Essex and people for you to talk to."
The survivor added:
"Please do find someone to talk to if you have experienced sexual assault. I know how difficult taking that first step can be but find a support service near you. They will be able to guide you and support you."
Synergy Essex
Synergy Essex offers independent and specialised services for individuals who have experienced rape or sexual abuse in Essex.
Synergy Essex is a partnership of three services; Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse (CARA), SERICC Rape and Sexual Abuse Specialist Service, and Southend-on-Sea Rape Crisis (SOS Rape Crisis).
The services provided by Synergy Essex are independent of the police. This ensures individuals can seek help whether they choose to report the incident or not. This could be in relation to something that happened recently or in the past.
Survivors and victims can access support by reaching out on their own or through a referral from someone they trust. This could be a family member, friend, or professional.
At Synergy Essex, people of all ages can benefit from specialised emotional support. This includes counselling and advocacy.
For those pursuing legal action, they offer the help of an Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA). The advisers can guide and support them through the criminal justice process.
To learn more about the services available, please visit the Synergy Essex website.
Victims' code
At Essex Police we put victims at the heart of everything we do. The Victims’ Code explains the rights that everyone can expect to receive as a victim of crime, and helps us define what we must do for all victims from their initial contact with our force until the conclusion of their case.
Find out more about the code and to understand the rights of a victim of crime, on our support for victims and witnesses of crime page.
To report a crime, please use our digital 101 service. In an emergency call 999.