A 101-year-old British man was on Friday facing jail after he was convicted of a string of historical sex offences against children.



Former lorry driver Ralph Clarke showed no emotion as he was found guilty of 21 sexual offences related to the abuse of two girls and one boy between 1974 and 1983. Prosecutor Claire Nicholls said Clarke had used “fear and intimidation” to control his victims.

“He took full advantage of their young age and the situation in order to carry out his offences. For over 40 years Clarke thought that he had got away with his crimes. Due to the courage of the victims we were able to bring him to justice,” she said in a statement.

Clarke, believed to be Britain’s oldest prison inmate, abused the children at his home, his garden shed and in his lorry, the court in Birmingham, heard.

He admitted nine charges related to a boy during the trial and described the offences as “something that happened” in his past. The jury took two days to reach its verdict.

Britain has no statute of limitations regarding sexual abuse and Judge Richard Bond said he was looking at a sentence for Clarke “in double figures”. “The public would be horrified if I didn’t send him to prison,” Bond said, telling the court Clarke would be remanded in custody before he is sentenced on Monday.

Defence counsel Darron Whitehead said his client would in reality face a “life sentence”, requesting the judge consider Clarke’s age and health in sentencing.