A man found guilty of 11 counts including indecent assault and sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 years has been jailed for 20 years at Manchester Square Crown Court
Sixty three year old Charles Liburd had assaulted two young girls between 1986-1994 and they recently came forward to report the abuse
In May 2021, the first victim came forward to report a series of incidents where Liburd sexually assaulted her in her home from the age of 7 – 9-years-old. The victim disclosed the countless times Liburd touched her and forced himself on her. She opened up about the impact this has had on her and her mental-health long term, which is why she decided to come forward and report the offences.
In September 2023 during the investigation into Liburd, officers from our Longsight District Investigation Team were able to identify a second victim. She courageously stepped forward and reported against the same perpetrator, who raped and continuously assaulted her from the ages of 7 – 11-years old.
The victim described multiple instances where she had been sexually assaulted by him despite her pushing him away, and she recalls a time when she was raped in her sleep in her own bedroom and woke up to him on top of her.
The bravery of both victims sharing their stories led to Liburd being issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order prior to his trial, safeguarding both victims and multiple other girls across Greater Manchester.
Liburd showed no remorse during his trial, and when questioned, accused both girls of lying, which officers and the jury did not accept and ensured they secured his sentence at trial.
In her victim impact statement, one of the women shared with the court the damaging and lasting impact this has had on her and her family’s mental health over the years and why she has chosen to come forward to get the justice she deserves:
“The trauma has followed me into adulthood, causing me mental health and shaping who I am and how I see the world today. The scars and trauma will never completely go away.
“I find it difficult to build close relationships and even when people show me kindness, I question their intentions.
“I have felt weak for not speaking out sooner, with that comes feelings of guilt for not protecting other potential victims. What I have come to understand is I was a child, the silence was not weakness, it was survival.
“The guilt I have carried for nearly my whole life it was never mine to hold. It belonged to my abuser Charles Liburd, who has shown no remorse or accountability for his actions nor the mental torture he inflicted on me and my family.”
