Sitting in court, listening to a case was all part of the training for Jeremy King of the Crawley News.

The 24-year-old trainee reporter was covering the case of Ernest Horsewell (62), known as Brian, of Grattons Drive, Pound Hill.

At the end of a four-day trial at Chichester Crown Court on June 29, Horsewell was found guilty by a jury of four counts of indecent assault, one count of indecency, one count of attempted rape and four counts of rape, all on a female under 16.

During the trial, the jury heard that Horsewell performed various sexual acts on the female, who had changed her name since the incidents.

Days later, with the story written, Jeremy took a phone call from the victim.

She called him under her new name but also revealed her old one which was used in court.

A nervous Jeremy spoke to the woman, who said that she wanted to talk. She understood that Jeremy had been the reporter in court.

Under the 1976 Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, and the 1992 Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, victims of sexual attacks cannot be named.

But she wanted to waive her right to anonymity so that she could speak out and encourage other victims of sexual assault to speak out.

“I got the telephone call and the person just asked me if I was the journalist in court. She said that the victim was her,” said Jeremy.

“I was shocked. I am normally a happy-go-lucky person but I just did not know how to deal with it at first.

“She said everything was all right and that she wanted to come forward so that other victims of sexual crimes would report what had happened to them.”

He arranged to meet the victim at her home, and, putting training into practice, asked her to sign a letter that said that she waived her right to anonymity and did so of her own free will.

Jeremy said: “She started talking about the case and I was unsure of how to approach the story – it is probably the most sensitive subject I have had to cover.”

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