Three women who gave evidence against their rapist and waived their right to anonymity in a Guardian article after his conviction have welcomed his 11-year prison sentence imposed by a judge in Truro crown court.
Martin Butler was convicted of rape and buggery in February 2023 after the evidence of Mary Sharp, Laura Hughes and Lauren Preston.
All three women knew Butler because he lived in the same area as them – Eastcote in Ruislip, north-west London – in the 1980s and 90s. Sharp, 54, began a relationship with Butler in 1988, when she was 20. She believed he was going to kill her when he raped and suffocated her on holiday in Mevagissey, Cornwall. Six years later he began to abuse Hughes and Preston, both now 42, who were then in their early teens.
Sharp tried to block out the trauma she had suffered and did not approach police. Hughes and Preston reported Butler’s crimes separately but prosecutions did not go ahead.
Everything changed in 2018, when Hughes posted an appeal on Facebook for victims of Butler to come forward. She found three photos of him and wrote: “Martin Butler: Call for victims and witnesses. Grooms, drugs and rapes children in Ruislip, London, UK, possibly in Mevagissey, St Austell, Cornwall.”
The post attracted a huge response. “What I wrote was shared 1,700 times in four days and went as far as Australia,” says Hughes. “People who responded to the post said things like: ‘Yeah, he was a right sleaze.’”
While Butler was not tried for offences against Hughes and Preston, their “bad character” testimony was used by the prosecution and the evidence of all three women helped to secure the conviction.
In court on Friday, supported by family and friends, all three held hands. In a victim impact statement the court heard that Sharp was still affected by Butler’s attack on her more than three decades ago and suffered nightmares and PTSD.
“Today has been very emotional for all of us,” said Sharp. “I broke down before we went into court but seeing him sentenced has given me some sort of closure. I feel that the system has listened to me as a victim. It’s been a hard struggle to get to the point we’ve reached today but we did it.”
“We are so over the moon about the long sentence Martin Butler received today,” said Preston. “It’s been a very draining and emotional day but our confidence is booming after this sentencing. We’ve done a very powerful thing together and now Martin Butler is off the streets and can’t harm other people.”
Hughes said: “I am really happy that the judge was able to consider the fact that Lauren and I had a lifetime of trauma when deciding on the length of sentence he was able to give to Martin Butler. What he did to us has dominated so much of our lives. Now he will be kept away from other potential victims.”
Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
