Cliff Mitchell, aged 24, has been convicted of 10 counts of rape and three counts of raping a child under 13, involving two different victims. One victim expressed her disgust by telling him, “You disgust me. I hope you suffer for the rest of your life,” while the other victim described him as a “pathetic excuse of a man.”
During sentencing on Wednesday, Mrs. Justice May stated that Mitchell’s offenses were so severe that a life imprisonment sentence was necessary. She highlighted that Mitchell, a former police officer, displayed a deep desire for control, and his brief tenure as a police officer would amplify the harshness of his imprisonment experience.
Mrs. Justice May commended the courage of the victims for testifying in the trial, as well as the police officers involved in the case and the passerby who assisted one of the victims. Mitchell has been ordered to serve a minimum sentence of 13 years and 225 days for crimes committed between 2014 and 2023, with potential lifelong parole if released.
The trial revealed that one victim escaped from Mitchell’s vehicle by claiming she felt sick, later being rescued by a passerby after being seen running through traffic. Mitchell had been the subject of a 2017 rape investigation that did not proceed, but a subsequent reexamination of the case in 2023 led to additional charges.
In court, one victim’s statement accused Mitchell of showing no remorse for his actions and labeled him a danger to all women in society. Both victims continue to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder due to their experiences. Mitchell’s actions were condemned as being carried out with a flagrant abuse of power due to his former law enforcement position.
Mitchell, previously a PC in the Met’s West Area, served in Hounslow during the commission of the offenses. Following his suspension and subsequent dismissal from the force in December 2023, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy expressed revulsion at Mitchell’s behavior and commended the victims for their bravery in seeking justice.