A 75-year-old child rapist from Warwickshire has been handed a prison sentence that means he is likely to die behind bars, after being convicted of subjecting a young boy to eight years of horrific abuse.
Decades of Abuse Uncovered
William Proctor, of Heath End Road in Nuneaton, sexually abused his victim repeatedly between 1991 and 1999. The abuse began when the child was just six years old and continued until he was 13. The victim found the courage to come forward and report the crimes to Warwickshire Police in 2023, triggering a major investigation.
Proctor was subsequently arrested and charged with a catalogue of serious offences. These included two counts of raping a male under 16, five counts of indecent assault on a boy under 16, and two counts of committing buggery with a boy under 16.
Trial and Sentencing at Warwick Crown Court
Despite denying all allegations, Proctor was found guilty on every charge by a jury following a trial earlier this year. He appeared before Warwick Crown Court for sentencing on December 18, 2025.
The judge sentenced him to 24 years in prison with an extended licence period of one year for the rape and buggery offences. For the indecent assaults, he received further sentences of ten, nine, and four years, all to be served concurrently with the main term.
In addition to his custodial sentence, Proctor was given an indefinite restraining order and will be placed on the Sex Offender’s Register for life.
Police Praise Victim's 'Huge Amount of Bravery'
Detective Constable Jamie Russell, of Warwickshire Police, led the investigation. He commended the victim for their strength in coming forward after so many years.
"Coming forward to disclose offences of this nature takes a huge amount of bravery," DC Russell said. "I want to thank the victim in this case for their strength and commitment throughout the course of the investigation. The offences were a dreadful ordeal for a young child to have to go through when they should have been free to enjoy their childhood."
He emphasised that the victim's actions had ensured Proctor could no longer harm others. DC Russell also stressed the force's commitment to investigating non-recent abuse: "We take all reports of non-recent sexual abuse extremely seriously. We thoroughly investigate every report we receive, placing the victim's needs at the heart of the case, regardless of how long ago the offence occurred."
The detective encouraged other victims to seek help, highlighting support from independent charities like Safeline. Sexual offences can be reported to police by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency.
