Ovingdean cliff fall boy does not recall being pushed, court hears

A boy who was allegedly pushed off a cliff by a man who was sexually abusing his sister does not remember the moment he fell, a court has heard.

Anthony Stocks, 54, of Iceni Close in Goring, Oxfordshire, denies charges of attempted murder, sexual assault, and rape.

He allegedly threw the boy off a set of cliffs near Ovingdean, near Brighton, down onto the beach below.

The boy survived but was severely injured, Oxfordshire Crown Court heard.

The jury was shown a video where the boy told police Mr Stocks "was just trying to get me somewhere else and stop me interfering but it didn't go well".

He said the last thing he recalled was standing on the edge of the cliff, before waking up in hospital.

Neither of the children, who were aged under 12 at the time, can be named for legal reasons.

Mr Stocks is charged with four counts of sexually assaulting a child under 13, causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, rape of a child under 13, attempted murder and cruelty to a person under 16.

The court heard how the girl confided in her brother about the abuse, and that her brother would then try to come between Mr Stocks and her when he could.

In a pre-recorded interview shown to the jury, he described how he would "interfere and stop everything - [Stocks] was really upset I think".

He added: "I just didn't want him to be with her. It just felt not right because of the previous things.

"The kissing and holding hands and whispering in each other's ears and everything."

He said on the day he fell he had been on a trip with Mr Stocks, who is known to the family, to see his favourite football club in London, when he was then asked if he wanted to "go see a view".

"I didn't think there'd be any other thing," the boy said. "I was like yeah OK… I will go."

He described his mood as "happy".

In Brighton he described walking up a steep path and stopping on the edge of a cliff in front of a fence with metal wires for a few minutes.

"We kept looking over," the boy said.

"I think [Mr Stocks] stood a little bit back… I saw a woman sunbathing. I think she looked up.

"I don't know what happened after that. I either slipped or got pushed, I really don't know."

Later, during a live link-up with the court, when questioned by Mr Stocks' barrister, the boy said he sometimes saw the defendant and his sister holding hands when they were out, and "occasionally kissing" and "whispering".

He confirmed the more serious abuse allegations had been told to him by his sister and not seen first hand.

He was also asked if on the day on the clifftop he had been "upset". He said he could not remember.

"Can I suggest [Mr Stocks] told you to be careful, can you remember that?" he was asked.

"No," he replied.

The trial continues.

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