More on KentOnline
Home Canterbury News Article
A rapist who used the name of his double-murderer brother to frighten his victim into silence was jailed for 18 years today.
Floyd Clifton, 29, stalked his university student victim through the streets of Canterbury before tricking his way inside her flat in March this year.
There, as she slept next to a friend, Faversham-born Clifton raped her – and then made his threats when friends raised the alarm.
He chillingly told them to Google his name to see what he and his brother were capable of.
The jury at Canterbury Crown Court heard how his 31-year-old brother Brett is serving life for a double-murder committed nine years ago.
Today, Judge James O’Mahony told him he posed a serious threat to women and ordered him to serve 13 years in prison.
He then extended the jail sentence by five years and said Clifton cannot be considered for parole until 2024 at the earliest – and even then he will not be released until the authorities think it safe.
He told the plumber’s barrister, Anthony Eskander: “At the trial I saw CCTV footage which the police had excellently put together of Clifton’s movements that night.
"The attack continued until she woke up and screamed. He then told them to Google his name in an effort to prevent the crime being reported..." - Judge James O'Mahony
“And what was most clear was that he was stalking two women until he was able to get into their taxi under false pretences and then into his victim’s room.
“The attack continued until she woke up and screamed. He then told them to Google his name in an effort to prevent the crime being reported.”
Mr Eskander handed in a letter penned by Clifton – who denied the offence at trial – saying he now regretted his behaviour.
The judge told him the sentiments might “ring hollow” in the ears of the public “and horrify the victim”, but he hoped they were true.
The jury heard how Clifton had an 11-year criminal record with 24 offences going back to 2000. Prosecutor Eloise Marshall said his crimes included burglaries, possessing offensive weapons, thefts, possessing drugs, damaging property and robbery.
She revealed how he had also been convicted twice of intimidating witnesses, false imprisonment, making threats to kill and kidnapping in 2011.
Clifton, of Gordon Road, Canterbury, claimed the sex had been consensual.
But the prosecutor told how he had latched onto a group of students who had gone to a party in the city – and showed the jury CCTV footage of him riding his bike in the area on several occasions.
The 22-year-old student had gone to a city pub, where she claimed she was spoken to by Clifton when she was ordering drinks at the bar.
She told how she had been celebrating in the city, but she and a friend were very drunk and decided to go home in a taxi.
It was then Clifton got into the cab with them and later helped carry her friend to the bedroom of her student flat.
The student said Clifton left the room and she fell asleep next to her friend.
“I woke up sometime later and he was on top of me,” she said.
“He was having sex with me. I pushed him off me. I then jumped up and put some pyjama bottoms on. I started screaming.”
She told the jury she had gone asleep fully clothed and woke up with some of her underwear on the floor next to the bed.
After she alerted her fellow students, she said Clifton became defensive, claiming he had done nothing wrong.
“I was really upset, crying and hysterical. I just wanted him out of my house.”
It was then he told the victim and her friends to Google his name – knowing the internet contained stories of both his and his brother’s vile convictions.
After leaving the property, Clifton started banging on the door claiming he had left his mobile phone inside – but one was never found, the court heard.