Charles Liburd

Charles Liburd, of Quarry Road, Maidstone, Kent, has been sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment at Manchester Crown Court after being found guilty on 11 counts of serious sexual offences against children. The offences, which occurred between 1986 and 1994, involved the sexual assault and rape of two young girls, both aged between 7 and 11 at the time.

The case came to light in May 2021 when the first victim, now an adult, bravely reported a series of incidents where Liburd sexually assaulted her in her home from the ages of 7 to 9. She described countless instances where he touched her inappropriately and forced himself upon her, detailing the profound long-term impact on her mental health and decision to come forward.

• During the investigation by Greater Manchester Police's Longsight District Investigation Team, a second victim was identified in September 2023.
• This second victim reported that Liburd raped and continuously assaulted her from the ages of 7 to 11, including an incident where she was raped in her sleep in her own bedroom and awoke to find him on top of her.
• Despite her attempts to push him away, the assaults persisted multiple times.

The bravery of both victims in sharing their stories led to Liburd being issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order prior to his trial, aimed at safeguarding them and other girls in Greater Manchester. Throughout the trial, Liburd showed no remorse and accused both victims of lying, claims rejected by the jury and investigating officers.

In a poignant victim impact statement read to the court, one of the women articulated the enduring trauma: 'The trauma has followed me into adulthood, causing me mental health and shaping who I am and how I see the world today. The scars and trauma will never completely go away. I find it difficult to build close relationships and even when people show me kindness, I question their intentions. I have felt weak for not speaking out sooner, with that comes feelings of guilt for not protecting other potential victims. What I have come to understand is I was a child, the silence was not weakness, it was survival. The guilt I have carried for nearly my whole life it was never mine to hold. It belonged to my abuser Charles Liburd, who has shown no remorse or accountability for his actions nor the mental torture he inflicted on me and my family.'

Detective Sergeant Kerry Batchelor from Greater Manchester Police's District Investigation Team in South Manchester emphasised the force's commitment: 'Regardless of when reports are made, our officers are committed to solving these crimes and ensuring the public feel they have a safe space to report any incident. Both girls were able to come forward when they were ready and disclose the abuse they suffered, and our officers will work tirelessly to ensure all victims get justice, no matter when the offences take place.' The sentencing on 7 November 2025 marks a significant step towards justice for the victims, with Liburd also subject to two years on licence upon release.