'Because of you my body is now worthless': Brave rape victim's extraordinary courtroom outburst leaves attacker in tears

A student left a serial rapist weeping uncontrollably in court as she confronted him over his attack before he was jailed for 10 years.

Victim Jessica told a court she had been "violated in every way"

Clive Howard, 57, admitted carrying out seven rapes, three kidnaps and one attempted rape over a 28 year period.

He sobbed uncontrollably in the dock yesterday as his final victim, Jessica Howard, 23, addressed him directly with a powerful statement.

Bravely waiving her right to anonymity, Jessica said: "Because of you, my body is now worthless to me. You took away my control and because of you my body is now an inanimate object with no worth.


"I wanted to throw up as I recounted what you did to me."

Jessica, who is not related to Howard, has struggled with anxiety, self-harm and an eating disorder as a result of the attack.

She added: "First of all you humiliated me: a close friend of mine saw me naked, saw me screaming and crying on the ground.

"I blame myself for being raped, for getting into your car."

"I had to see my mother's face as she looked at her only daughter after she had been violated in the worst possible way.

"You have made it impossible for me to enjoy moments of happiness. Your attack literally darkens every piece of joy I have."

Howard, of Stowmarket, Suffolk, was described as "every woman's living nightmare" as he was jailed for life for at least 10 years and three months.

Norwich Crown Court heard how he targeted lone women in Norfolk and Cambridge between 1986 and 2014.

And after the sentencing hearing detectives revealed that 15 more possible victims have come forward in the last month alone.

Judge Stephen Holt described Howard's reaction as "crocodile tears".

He added: "This was a campaign of sexual offences over many years.

"Two of the victims describe you spanking them - this is additional humiliation and degradation.

"There was clearly a significant degree of planning and targeting.

"All of the victims' statements show a similar pattern of how terrified they were and the ongoing effect this has had."

Mechanic Howard was caught after Jessica described his Volvo car to police following the attack in Norwich in May last year.

The student got into her attacker's car when he offered her a lift following a night out.


Credit: Daily Mirror