Ryan Clarkson

A man from Northampton has been convicted of serious child sex offences following a complex investigation launched in 2022. Ryan Clarkson, aged 26 and residing in Swain Court, Northampton, was found guilty at Leicester Crown Court on 8 December of 13 offences against children under 13 years old. The charges stemmed from reports by multiple survivors who bravely came forward to detail the abuse they suffered at Clarkson's hands.

The investigation, led by Detective Constable Evie Mugridge from Northamptonshire Police's Child Abuse Investigation Unit, revealed that Clarkson committed the offences over several years, beginning when he was just 10 years old and escalating in severity as he grew older, up to the age of 18. He was initially charged with 20 offences, including six counts of raping a child under 13 and three counts of rape. Following a trial, the jury convicted him on six counts of rape of a child under 13, two counts of assault by penetration of a child under 13, four counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, and one count of sexual activity with a child. He was acquitted on the remaining seven charges.

Detective Constable Mugridge praised the survivors' courage, stating: 'This has been an exceptionally complex case, and I would like to praise the survivors who have showed immense strength throughout. Their bravery is undeniable and although nothing can ever erase what Ryan Clarkson did, I hope they can take some comfort in the fact that because of their courage, a sexual predator is now behind bars.' The case underscores Northamptonshire Police's commitment to protecting children and pursuing justice for victims of sexual abuse.