A 53-year-old man has been sentenced to 15 years after raping a 13-year-old child.

On Thursday 23 November at Kingston Crown Court, Damien Riddle, 53 , of Clapham was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment after being convicted of raping a child. 

Kingston Met Police were called to reports of Serious Sexual Assault against a 13-year-old in their home address by an adult stranger on 16 August 2023.  

The victim had been speaking with what they believed was a 15-year-old via a social media platform for a number of weeks.  

As the conversations developed, the victim disclosed their home address. They arranged to meet there and at around half past four on the afternoon on 16 August, and the victim received a knock on the door of their home as expected. 

They opened the door to a 53-year-old male, not the expected 15-year-old, and questioned the unknown person, who confirmed that it was him who the victim had been speaking with, and not a 15-year-old. 

The suspect then forced his way into the address where he then sexually assaulted the victim. 

As the victim's mother returned home and opened her front door, she was confronted by the suspect who forced his way out of the address and ran off. She chased the suspect but he managed to get away. 

Officers from the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences conducted an investigation which led to them finding and identifying Riddle, who was located and arrested within 36 hours of the offence being committed. 

Riddle was charged and remanded in custody until his subsequent appearance at Kingston Crown Court on Friday 31 October 2023 where he pleaded guilty to a number of sexual offences. 

On Thursday 23 November 2023 the defendant, Damien Riddle, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. 

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim at this time. 

Detective Inspector Kieran Curry of the South West Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit said: "The mother in this incident faced every parent's worst nightmare when she was confronted by an unknown male leaving her property, knowing her child was inside.  

"The actions of Riddle on that day were incomprehensible in his premeditated and dangerousness towards the child in this matter. Thankfully he was identified and apprehended within a short time. 

"I'd like to thank every officer involved in this case, from the investigative team and officer in the case Detective Constable Williams, to the response officers who quickly attended, and the Predatory Offender Unit who assisted in locating Riddle after the incident occurred."