Victim praised for courage in reporting non-recent rape
Detectives have praised a victim for her bravery after she came forward to report non-recent sexual abuse.
Liam Robert Porter, aged 35 and of Weymouth, was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on Friday 9 October 2026 to four years and six months in prison.
It followed guilty pleas to three counts of rape of a child, relating to two incidents which occurred at an address in Stalbridge between 2004 and 2007.
The abuse was first reported to police in November 2025 and following detailed enquiries by detectives, Porter was arrested on Tuesday 23 December 2025.
He was subsequently charged in connection with the matter, and pled guilty to the charges at Winchester Crown Court on Friday 24 July 2026.
Porter has been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
Detective Constable Louisa Scarlin, of the Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “Liam Robert Porter behaved in a truly despicable way, leaving a long-lasting impact on his victim.
“She bravely came forward in November 2025, seeing a thorough investigation ensue and enquiries carried out to compile evidence and build a case.
“We are pleased Porter is now facing justice for his actions. This would not have been possible without the strength and courage of the victim, who brought the offending to light, and continued to support our investigation and the court process.
“I hope this case will help give strength to other victims to come forward - we will continue to do all we can to ensure they are fully supported and perpetrators are brought to justice.”
If you have been a victim of a sexual offence and you want to report directly to the police, please call 101 and ask to be put in contact with a specially trained police officer. Always dial 999 in an emergency. Alternatively, you can contact The Shores Sexual Assault Referral Centre on 0800 970 9954.
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