Dave Roper

Dave Roper, a 58-year-old man from Romford, was jailed for 16 years following his conviction for historic sexual offences committed against a young girl in Epping. The abuse, which took place approximately 20 years ago when Roper lived in Epping Forest, involved repeated sexual assaults on the victim who was a child at the time.

The case came to light in June 2022 when the victim, now an adult, reported the incidents to the police. She had buried the trauma for many years but decided to speak out, leading to a prompt investigation. Roper, residing on Stanley Avenue in Romford at the time of the report, attended a voluntary interview in October 2022 where he denied the allegations. Despite his denial, he was charged with four counts of indecent assault and two charges of indecency with a child under 14.

Following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, Roper was unanimously convicted on all counts last month. In addition to the 16-year custodial sentence, he received an extended licence period of two years and was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 25 years. The victim, who has lifelong anonymity, described the profound impact of the abuse in a statement to the court, stating: "What happened to me as a child is something I buried deep inside for many years. I couldn’t face it until adulthood because the trauma was too overwhelming." She further explained how the scars have shaped her life, affecting her daily thoughts and coping mechanisms, and emphasised that the past continues to weigh heavily despite the verdict.

Detective Constable Rachel Horton, from the Child Abuse Investigation Team (CAIT), commended the victim's courage and reaffirmed the police's commitment to investigating non-recent sexual abuse cases. She noted: "There is no ticking clock or deadline when it comes to our investigations into offences as serious as sexual abuse. Even if offences are non-recent, as long ago as 20 years in this case, we will still listen." The case was reported by Joseph Reaidi for the Romford Recorder, highlighting the ongoing support provided to the victim throughout the process.