Clive Howard: Serial rapist told he is 'every woman's living nightmare' as he is jailed for life

There are six confirmed victims and fears that there may be many more

Clive Howard was described as ‘every woman’s living nightmare’ (PA)

One of the victims of serial rapist Clive Howard has faced him in court – telling how he had made her body “worthless” – as he was jailed for life for attacking six women, amid fears there may be many more victims.

Fifteen women have contacted the police in recent weeks, after Howard, a 57-year-old mechanic from Stowmarket, Suffolk, admitted 11 rape and kidnap offences last month.

Judge Stephen Holt described Howard as “every woman's living nightmare” who waged a “campaign of sexual offences over many years” as he sentenced him to a minimum of ten years and three months at Norwich Crown Court.

Waiving her right to anonymity, Jessica Howard (no relation), addressed her attacker in court as she said: “To describe the ramifications of you raping me is impossible.” She went on to tell him: “Because of you, my body is now worthless to me. You took away my control and because of you my body is now an inanimate object with no worth. I wanted to throw up as I recounted what you did to me.” Howard sobbed what the judge dismissed as “crocodile tears” as Miss Howard, 23, who studies history of art and literature at the University of East Anglia, said: “I had to see my mother's face as she looked at her only daughter after she had been violated in the worst possible way.” The rape has made it “impossible for me to enjoy moments of happiness,” and “literally darkens every piece of joy I have,” she said.

Clive Howard was sentenced to a minimum of ten years and three months at Norwich Crown Court (Google)

The university student, who has struggled with an eating disorder, self-harm and anxiety since the rape, is one of at least six women who Howard raped or tried to kidnap between 1986 and 2014. Howard was described as a “dangerous predator” by Norfolk Police after he admitted last month seven counts of rape, three counts of attempted kidnap and one of attempted rape.

He was caught after raping Miss Howard in Norwich last May, when police managed to trace him car using CCTV footage which showed a partial picture of his Volvo car’s number plate. Subsequent investigations, including matches from DNA samples, linked him to attacks on other women in Norfolk and Cambridge stretching back almost 30 years.

Howard was a loner who had lived with his elderly parents in Suffolk since the breakdown of his marriage 15 years ago. The father of six, who had an 82-year-old girlfriend at the time of his arrest last May, went on dating websites and would drive around the streets looking for prostitutes. He would attack his victims at night after stopping to offer them a lift in his car.

Detective Sergeant Chris Burgess, from Norfolk Police, who led the investigation, said: “Howard is an extremely dangerous sexual predator and I am under no illusion that more women would have been attacked had he not been caught. The life sentence demonstrates the seriousness of his actions; Howard would prey on women walking alone at night and there is no doubt the streets are a safer place with Howard in prison.” He added: “There is concern that there are further victims out there and we would encourage anybody who believes they were attacked by him to come forward.”

And Laura Richards, chief executive of Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service, said: “Howard is a predatory stalker and most predatory stalking is sexually motivated. No doubt there are many more victims who have been targeted by Howard and I would urge them to come forward and report to the police.”