Detective Snags Top Police Award After Locking Up Serial Rapist for 27 Years
Detective Constable Victoria Ashworth-Kirkby has been nominated for the prestigious Police Now Alumni Impact Award. Her relentless work helped secure a whopping 27-year prison sentence for serial sex offender Ian Elliott.
Massive Case Crackdown
DC Ashworth-Kirkby stepped into one of Sussex Police’s biggest cases of 2023. Initially involved with the investigation, she took charge and expanded the charges from 10 to 92, including multiple counts of rape and voyeurism.
Elliott, 71, from North Heath near Pulborough, attacked six young men over two decades, from 1999 to 2021. He was slapped with an 18-year sentence in February 2024, boosted to 27 years after a high-profile appeal, plus five more years on extended licence.
Cutting-Edge Detective Work
Victoria’s investigation was no walk in the park. She juggled hundreds of digital evidence pieces and worked with experts to date VHS tapes by their images, unearthing victims who hadn’t been identified before. She also provided top-notch welfare support throughout the case.
“The victims in this case have shown remarkable strength to support these prolonged proceedings, while we sought to secure the justice they deserve,” said DC Ashworth-Kirkby.
“It is right that this dangerous man will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars. I’m proud of the results and humbled by the award nominations.”
High Praise from the Top
Detective Chief Superintendent Miles Ockwell praised Victoria’s dedication and the impact of the Police Now programme. “Victoria’s detective work is outstanding, proven by the number of charges and the hefty sentence,” he said.
Victoria’s hard work has also earned her a nod for Sussex Police’s Student Officer of the Year award for the second straight year. She joined Sussex Police in 2021 through Police Now’s National Detective Programme, which grooms grads into detectives in two years.
The Police Now Alumni Impact Awards honour officers who go beyond the call of duty to solve crimes and innovate policing. Winners will be revealed at the annual Police Now awards ceremony in October, with Sussex Police’s Student Officer of the Year announced in November.
