Goring paedo who tried to kill teenager by throwing him off cliff – Reading Today Online

A PEDOPHILE who tried to push a teenager off a cliff has been found guilty of attempted murder and rape.

Anthony Stocks wanted to kill a 13-year-old boy who tried to stop him from raping and sexually assaulting another child.

The 54-year-old, who lived in Icieni Close in Goring, first took the teenager to an Oxfordshire quarry with the intention of throwing him overboard. After changing his mind, he decided to take him to Ovingdean, near Brighton, so he could push him over the edge of the cliff.

The boy fell 100 feet, landed on concrete and survived despite serious injuries. He still suffers from ongoing problems.

The incident occurred on September 24, 2022 and was initially treated as an accident, but an investigation revealed Stocks' deception.

He was arrested on November 23 last year on suspicion of attempted murder, rape and other sexual offenses and was charged the same day.

It was the culmination of a three-year period between 2019 and 2022, when Stocks raped and sexually assaulted his young victim.

The girl had spoken to the boy about the offense and the boy got in Stocks' way to try to stop the incidents from happening.

After the quarry incident, Stocks took advantage of the boy's love of Chelsea Football Club by taking him to a match before heading to Brighton and the Ovingdean Cliffside.

He told his victim he planned to push him off the cliff.

Stocks are expected to be sentenced at a later date which has not yet been confirmed.

Assistant Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Rachel Jackson from Thames Valley Police's Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “These were absolutely horrific and evil offenses committed by Anthony Stocks .

“For approximately three years, Stocks subjected the girl to sexual abuse and rape, and when the boy became aware of what was happening, Stocks hatched his evil plan to kill him.

“What happened next was simply horrible. He gained the boy's trust by taking him to see the Chelsea football stadium, as the boy was passionate about football, and particularly Chelsea FC.

“From there, he asked the boy if he wanted to go to the seaside.

“The boy could have had no idea what Stocks was planning to do.

“Stocks took the boy to a set of cliffs in the area and pushed or threw him from the top, knowing that this would almost certainly have killed him.

“Miraculously, the boy survived, although he has no memory of the fall itself.

“Stocks had intended to kill the boy to put him away so he could continue to offend the girl. This failed and Stocks was arrested.

“He is a very dangerous individual, who thought of no one but himself, to protect himself from prosecution by removing the boy from the equation.

“He has shown no remorse throughout this investigation.

“I would like to commend both victims for their incredible courage and determination which helped us bring Stocks to justice.”

DS Jackson said the young people had shown immense maturity and clarity, both in their interviews with police and in court, about what had happened to them.

“It is because of this truly inspiring courage that Stocks has been brought to justice and will be sent to prison for a long time,” she continued. “It has truly been humbling to support them throughout this investigation.

“This is without doubt one of the worst cases of child abuse I have investigated. The impact this has had on the victims, as well as all the officers and staff who investigated this matter, cannot be underestimated.

“I would like to thank everyone who helped bring Stocks to justice, particularly our colleagues at Sussex Police in this difficult and distressing investigation.”

And that view was echoed by her counterpart, Detective Constable Vicki Blythe, of Sussex Police's complex abuse unit.

“Anthony Stocks’ calculated offending betrayed the trust of two young people, who must now live with the impact of his crimes for the rest of their lives,” she said.

“His two victims showed remarkable courage and determination to support this investigation to its conclusion. I want to thank them both for helping us bring Stocks to justice.

“The events of September 24, 2022 were alarming for the residents of Ovingdean and the community as a whole. It's a miracle that this didn't end in more tragic circumstances, and I would also like to thank everyone who came forward with information and messages of support.

“Finally, I congratulate my colleagues at Thames Valley Police for their exceptional work in the investigation.

“If you are the victim of a sexual offence, please report it to the police online or via 101. You will be believed and supported. Always dial 999 in an emergency.

On Thursday, June 6, Stocks was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict of four counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 and one count each of inciting or inciting a child under under 13 to engage in sexual activity, rape and attempted murder. He will be sentenced later.