A rapist who struck after grooming a young child for years has been given a 21-year extended prison sentence.
Matthew Johnston, 49, targeted his victim from the age of about six years old, befriending the child’s mother at a comic con – or comic book convention.
Johnston was a regular attendee at these sorts of gatherings and used events based around Star Wars and superheroes such as Batman to groom the victim.
Sarah Thorne, prosecuting, told Hove Crown Court: “The defendant moved from inducement to aggression.”
She told Judge Roger Chapple that Johnston had been convicted by a jury of two counts of rape and five other sex offences, saying: “There was some threat of violence or force”
Miss Thorne added: “The offending was aggravated by the very young age of the child, the abuse of trust and because he was a trusted family friend.
“The offending was over a prolonged period. There were multiple incidents.”
Johnston had previous five convictions for 11 offences including indecent exposure, sexual assaulting two girls and having indecent photographs of children.
Miss Thorne read a statement from the victim, who comes from Littlehampton. It said: “I was sexually abused … I have a lot of flashbacks and nightmares and these affect me daily.
“I have not been able to go to school. I am fearful to go out alone … I fear cos players and people with coloured contact lenses. I hate being touched by other people.
“I’ve started having therapy which I truly hope helps me to live my life more positively.”
The victim’s mother said: “My son’s life has been destroyed by the awful things that have happened to him.
“He used to be happy go lucky with the most infectious giggle in the world. Now, if he leaves his room, it’s a massive achievement.”
She said that ever since the grooming and sexual abuse had been disclosed, her son hadn’t been the same.
She spoke of “massive panic attacks” and being hyper-alert all the time, adding: “He doesn’t feel safe in his own home.
“It is heartbreaking knowing that he won’t be able to take his exams as he hasn’t attended school in so long because of his mental health.
“The damage that Matthew has brought into our lives is nothing short of hell, taking advantage of a beautiful kind person.
“Grooming them to the highest level that they were afraid to even tell their mum is just plain evil.
“My life has been massively affected by this ordeal. The guilt I have for bringing Matthew into our lives weighs heavy on me.
“Every time I think of what he did to my beautiful child, I have a range of emotions from rage to disgust and everything in between.
“I beat myself up about not seeing any of the red flags – a man with no job, driving around in a BMW, with money to spend on gifts, days out and restaurants.
“I was so naïve at the time, so trusting, a single mum in a vulnerable situation and Matthew saw this, as the predator that he is, to take advantage of my trust and friendship and violated my child time and time again under my own roof.”
The victim’s mother added: “There are times when I am working that I get a wave of nausea and upset over this. When it hits me, the despair that I feel is overwhelming. At times it makes me physically sick.
“Most of the time I can mask this … I am doing this alone. I have no family and it’s (my son’s) business so I don’t really talk about it to my friends.
“The support from the police has been amazing. We are both grateful.
“I will spend every day for the rest of my life making up for bringing this monster into (my son’s) life.”
The abuse was reported to Sussex Police in December 2024, at which point specialist officers provided support to the victim and his family while an investigation began.
Johnston was arrested and subsequently charged with two counts of rape of a child under 13 and other sexual offences.
At Hove Crown Court on Friday 10 October, after a trial, a jury convicted him of seven offences including the two counts of rape.
At the same court yesterday (Monday 23 March), he was sentenced to 21 years, consisting of 16 years in prison and a further five years to be spent on extended licence.
Judge Roger Chapple said: “You gained the trust of this family who accepted you as a friend.”
The judge said that Johnston had caused “lasting psychological harm”, adding: “The sexual abuse and the rape of a child is a dreadful, dreadful thing. It was aggravated by four factors.”
He said that Johnston committed the offences in breach of trust having been treated as a family friend, that he deliberately groomed the youngster, the child was very young and the offences took place against a background of previous offending including the sexual assault of two 14-year-old girls in 2014.
Judge Chapple said: “I’ve read with care and sadness of your background and your history.”
But he added that an extended sentence was justified because he deemed Johnstone to be a dangerous offender.
The judge also imposed a restraining order, a sexual harm prevention order and ordered him to remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.
Detective Constable Jacob Parkin said: “Matthew Johnston groomed, manipulated and abused this young victim over many years, in a total betrayal of the trust of him and his family.
“My thanks go to the victim and his family for their strength throughout this investigation. I have no doubt how challenging this process has been for them but they have helped bring a dangerous offender to justice.
“If you or anyone you know, has been a victim of sexual offending, please report it to Sussex Police. We will support you and we will do all we can to get you justice.”
