Christopher Rudd, a 34-year-old man from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, was sentenced at King’s Lynn Crown Court on 17 November 2025 following a week-long trial where a jury unanimously convicted him of serious sexual and physical offences against a child.
The offences, which occurred in the King’s Lynn area of Norfolk, spanned eight years and involved 12 counts of raping a child, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), and one count of causing fear of violence. In addition to the repeated sexual assaults, Rudd physically abused the victim by choking, kicking, and punching her, and on one occasion, he fractured her fingers. The abuse came to light in January 2025 when the victim disclosed the incidents to her family.
During the sentencing, Recorder Rouse KC described Rudd as a 'manipulative predator void of empathy' and noted that his offending was 'exceptional in its gravity'. The court heard a victim impact statement from the girl, who said: 'I have been hurting everyday, for as long as I can remember, and there's no way to stop the hurting, or to feel anything else. (Rudd) abused me in so many ways. No amount of healing will ever change that, and I'll never get my childhood back even if I tried. Despite all this, despite everything I've gone through and endured, I am in a better place now. I finally don't have to live in fear, and I finally have the freedom to truly be myself and figure out who I really am behind all the trauma. I'm finally free, and I have my whole future ahead of me.'
The victim's mother also provided a statement, referring to Rudd as a 'monster' and expressing her ongoing commitment to supporting her daughter's recovery: 'Since finding out what happened, I have asked myself over and over how to help my daughter recover from something no child should ever endure. I am doing everything I can to help my daughter heal. But healing is a long road - and I know I will be walking it with her for years to come.'
Rudd, of Fenland Road, Wisbech, was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment, with an additional four years on licence. He was placed on the sex offenders register for life, subjected to a sexual harm prevention order, and an indefinite restraining order. The case was investigated by Norfolk Constabulary, with Detective Constable Stuart Sansbury praising the victim's bravery: 'From the outset of this investigation, the victim has demonstrated steadfast courage and it is testament to her that justice has been served. She has experienced a terrible amount of trauma and I truly hope today's result helps her begin a new chapter in her life, where she can be safe and thrive. I also hope that today’s sentence sends a clear message to others who harm, or seek to harm children and vulnerable people.'