101-year-old paedophile who abused children in his garden shed becomes oldest British criminal behind bars as he’s jailed for 13 years
He shook his head and cried 'no' as the judge read out details of his appalling crimes
A 101-YEAR-OLD man has become Britain's oldest pervert after being handed a 13-year prison sentence for the child sex attacks spanning nearly a decade.
Ralph Clarke is now almost certain to die behind bars after pleading guilty to nine offences part-way through his trial at Birmingham Crown Court.
The former lorry driver committed the offences against two girls and a boy, one as young as seven, in a workshop and the cab of his delivery lorry between 1974 and 1983.
The attacks took place in the pensioner's "man cave" workshop and in the cab of his truck.
On Friday he was found guilty by a jury of a further 21 counts of indecent assault and indecency against two girls in the 70s and 80s.
He bribed his victims to keep quiet with sweets and money but they came forward after being enraged by Facebook posts celebrating his 100th birthday.
He fully understood what was going on and I am pleased he has been brought to justice.
DC Emma Fennon
Clarke, of Erdington, Birmingham, was caged today following a two-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court where he was found guilty of 21 historical sex offences.
The ex-RAF serviceman appeared in the dock wearing a beige cardigan, brown trousers and spectacles.
He leaned on a walking stick, flanked by a two security guards and an intermediary.
He shook his head and said "no" as the judge read out details of his appalling crimes.
Judge Richard Bond said his offences were "repeated and sustained over a period of time" and he had shown "no remorse".
Clarke showed no emotion as he was jailed.
He will serve half his sentence before being eligible for parole.
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The brave victims - now in their late 40s - wept and embraced as he was sent down.
The court heard Clarke would remove his false teeth before performing sex acts on the boy and one of the girls was just four years old when she was first abused.
The female victims reported him to police in August last year because they were sick of hearing "what a good life he'd led".
When interviewed, his first words to detectives were: "Who has complained?"
Halfway through the trial he admitted nine indecency charges against the boy between the age of nine and 14.
He told the jury it was "something that happened" but his victim "could have said no".
The widower - who served in the Second World War - denied abusing the girls and called them "born liars".
It was said he forced them to perform sex acts on him in his shed during the school summer holidays and the abuse was "a daily event".
They were left traumatised and one later attempted suicide.
Clarke - born in March 1915 - was known locally as a "very handy" repairman.
The great grandfather said that youngsters "came from all over" to have their bikes fixed and knew him as "Nobby".
Special provisions were made for the OAP during the trial because of his age.
He was allowed to sit at the back of the courtroom rather than in the dock and left for regular breaks during the case.
The court only sat until lunchtime each day to allow Clarke to go home and rest.
He listened to proceedings through a hearing aid and was supported by an intermediary but the jury was told he was "lucid" and had an "excellent memory".
DC Emma Fennon, of West Midlands Police, said Clarke was "utterly remorseless" and "actually enjoyed" talking about his crimes.
She said: "He fully understood what was going on and I am pleased he has been brought to justice."
Clarke replaces Gaston Pinsard as Britain's oldest convict.
Pinsard was 96 when he was given an 18-month sentence in 2015 for sexually abusing two schoolgirls more than 50 years ago.
Clarke, of Erdington, Birmingham, initially denied 17 charges of indecent assault, 12 offences of indecency with a child and two attempted serious sexual offences.
He later admitted nine of the charges made against him.
At the start of the pensioner's two-week trial, prosecutor Miranda Moore QC told jurors two of Clarke's victims walked into a police station in August last year to make a complaint against him.
Miss Moore told the jury: "What they were to tell the police was a history of a catalogue of serious sexual abuse."
It is alleged that some of abuse took place in a garage at Clarke's then home in Erdington.
Miss Moore told the jury panel of six men and six women: "All three victims talk about being in a garden shed or workshop.
"Probably today you would call it a 'man shed' or a 'man cave'."
People from all over the area would take things to Clarke - who was regarded locally as something of a handyman - for him to repair, Miss Moore added.
When Clarke was questioned by police last December he made "limited admissions" to officers, the court heard.
Miss Moore said: "The defendant was interviewed by the police in this case. He agreed some of the things you are going to hear about did in fact happen.
"His first words were, 'Who has complained?'"
Concluding her opening speech, Miss Moore stressed age is no barrier to a defendant being tried "as long as the trial is fair and the evidence is clear".
Before the case was opened by Miss Moore, Judge Richard Bond informed the jury there would be occasions when Clarke left the hearing without permission for personal reasons.
Clarke will also be given help to ensure he can follow the proceedings.
The judge told the panel: "There will be occasions during the trial when the defendant will speak, possibly quite loudly, to the intermediary, who is likely to speak quite loudly back to him.
"The reason for this is that Mr Clarke, not surprisingly at the age of 101, is hard of hearing.
"I invite, in fact I direct you, to ignore any such communications between Mr Clarke and the intermediary - or with his barrister.
"The reason for that is that those communications are normally private but you are bound to hear them in this case for obvious reasons."
Clarke's old age and health meant the court also had reduced sitting hours during the two-week trial, with evidence heard between 9.30am and 1.30pm.
Describing the sitting hours as "very, very unusual", the judge added: "I have made that decision because the interests of justice decree that this defendant, like any defendant who is tried in a Crown Court, must be able to follow the evidence and must be in position to call evidence himself if that time arises.
"I am sure that you will all understand why we have to accommodate Mr Clarke in this particular way.
"At the forefront of my mind I have his welfare. He has got be able to follow this trial. So let's all be patient. It's only fair."
An NSPCC spokesman today said: “Clarke not only inflicted appalling abuse on his victims, he put them through the harrowing ordeal of a crown court trial – and did not show a shred of remorse throughout.
“This case sends out a clear message that it is never too late for survivors of abuse to speak out. The trial could not have happened without their courage, and it is vital they now get the support they need to help them move forward with their lives.
“Anyone who has suffered abuse – no matter how long ago – can call the NSPCC helpline in confidence 24/7 on 0808 800 5000, text 88858 or email [email protected].”
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