A PAEDOPHILE who tried to attempted to push a teenager off a cliff has been found guilty of attempted murder and rape.
Anthony Stocks wanted to kill a 13-year-old boy who had tried to stop him from raping and sexually assaulting another child.
The 54-year-old, who used to live in Icieni Close in Goring, first took the teenager to an Oxfordshire quarry with a plan to throw him over the edge. After changing his mind, he decided to take him to Ovingdean near Brighton, so he could push him over the cliff edge.
The boy fell 100ft, landing on concrete and survived, despite extensive injuries. He still suffers from ongoing issues.
The incident happened on September 24, 2022, and was originally treated as an accident, but an investigation uncovered Stocks’ deception.
He was arrested on November 23 last year on suspicion of attempted murder, rape, and other sexual offences and was charged on the same day.
It was the culmination of a three-year period between 2019 and 2022, when Stocks raped and sexually assaulted his young female victim.
The girl had told the boy about the offending and the boy put himself in the way of Stocks to try and stop the incidents from occurring.
After the quarry incident, Stocks took advantage of the boy’s love of Chelsea Football Club by taking him to see a game before heading to Brighton and the cliff side at Ovingdean.
He had told his female victim he was planning to push him from the cliff.
Stocks is due to be sentenced at a later date yet to be confirmed.
The Deputy Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Rachel Jackson of Thames Valley Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “These were absolutely horrific and evil offences committed by Anthony Stocks.
“Over a period of around three years, Stocks had subjected the girl to sexual abuse and rape, and when the boy became aware of what was happening, Stocks hatched his evil plan to kill him.
“What then transpired is nothing short of horrifying. He won the boy’s trust, taking him to see Chelsea’s football stadium, as the boy was passionate about football, and particularly Chelsea FC.
“From there, he asked the boy if he wanted to go to the seaside.
“The boy could have had no idea what Stocks had planned to do.
“Stocks took the boy to a set of cliffs in the area and pushed or threw him from the top, knowing that this would have almost certainly killed him.
“Miraculously, the boy survived, although he has no recollection of the fall itself.
“Stocks had intended to kill the boy to get him out of the way so he could continue his offending against the girl. This failed, and Stocks was arrested.
“He is a very dangerous individual, who had no thought about anybody but himself, to protect himself from prosecution by removing the boy from the equation.
“He has not 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.”
DS Jackson said the youngsters had shown 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 be sent to prison for a long time,” she continued. “It has been truly humbling to support them through this investigation.
“This is without a doubt one of the worst cases of child abuse that I have investigated. 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.
“I would like to thank everybody who was involved in bringing Stocks to justice, particularly our colleagues at Sussex Police in this challenging and distressing investigation.”
And this view was echoed by her counterpart, Detective Constable Vicki Blythe, of Sussex Police’s Complex Abuse Unit.
“Anthony Stocks’ calculated offending betrayed the trust of two young people, who must now live with the impact of his crimes for the rest of their lives,” she said.
“Both of his victims have shown remarkable courage and determination to support this investigation through to its conclusion. I would like to thank them both for helping us bring Stocks to justice.
“The events of 24 September, 2022, were alarming for residents of Ovingdean and the wider community. It was a miracle it did not end in more tragic circumstances, and I would also like to thank all of those who came forward with information and messages of support.
“Finally, I commend my colleagues in Thames Valley Police for their outstanding work on the investigation.
“If you are a victim of sexual offending, please report it to the police online, or via 101. You will be believed and supported. Always dial 999 in an emergency.”
On Thursday, June 6, Stocks was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict 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. He will be sentenced at a later date.
