Brave Barnsley woman waives right to anonymity as abuser is jailed

A Barnsley woman has bravely waived her right to lifelong anonymity after her abuser was jailed for more than a decade.

Kimberley Dyson, 41, feels "very passionate about my decision to waive my anonymity" and says she wants "other victims of sexual abuse to see experiences of sexual harm and abuse are nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about".

It comes after Trevor Lockwood, 44, was found guilty of four counts of rape following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court in October 2024. He was sentenced at the same court yesterday (24 February 2025) where he received 13 years in prison.

The court heard how Lockwood, of Ballfield Lane, Barnsley, was in a relationship with Kimberley between 2003 and 2014. In 2022, Kimberley bravely reported to South Yorkshire Police that, during the relationship, Lockwood had raped her on a number of occasions after she had gone to sleep.

Kimberley would wake up in the middle of the night to find Lockwood forcing himself on her and engaging in sexual activity she had not consented to. She would tell Lockwood to stop what he was doing, but he would ignore her pleas and forcibly continue.

Lockwood blamed is abhorrent behaviour on his drug use and often claimed he did not know why he did what he did.

In a statement provided to South Yorkshire Police, Kimberley said:

"Today's sentencing hearing has been a long time coming. I feel very passionate about my decision to waive my anonymity. Despite years of feeling deep shame around the abuse I experienced, I am finally learning to accept that none of this was my fault.

"I want other victims of sexual abuse to see that experiences of sexual harm and abuse are nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. The abuse I endured for over a decade at the hands of Trevor Lockwood has impacted almost every area of my life, and although no sentence will be enough for the trauma I am left with, I am glad that this case is finally over and that I am able to start my process of healing.

"I want to take this opportunity to commend the hard work of Detective Sergeant Laura Clarke of South Yorkshire Police who has worked tirelessly on the investigation to secure this conviction and finally bring Trevor to justice. I also want to acknowledge the support I have received from my Independent Sexual Violence Advisor, Jess, at Barnsley Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Services, from the moment I reported and throughout the process.

"The support this service provides is vital for victims during the criminal justice process and without the support and encouragement I received from Jess to keep fighting, I am not sure how, or if, I could have got this far.

"Trevor took so many years of my life, but today I close the chapter on this ordeal and start to live my life as it always should have been".

Detective Sergeant Laura Clarke, the officer in charge of this case, said:

"By law, Kimberley Dyson would have been entitled to lifelong anonymity as all victims of sexual offences are. She has bravely waived this right to speak up against her abuser and encourage more victims to come forward and report to us.

"I cannot commend Kimberley's bravery highly enough, and I want to directly thank her for her courage throughout our investigation and the subsequent trial, which came about due to Lockwood's refusal to admit his abhorrent offending.

"We are 100 per cent committed to tackling all forms of sexual abuse in South Yorkshire, including non-recent offences, and I want to make it clear that we fully investigate every single report made to us.

"If you have been raped, sexually assaulted, or sexually harassed, you can report to us in confidence online or by calling 101. If you don't feel able to report to police in one of these ways, try and talk to someone you trust. You can also seek specialist and confidential support via the 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line".

In addition to his prison sentence, Lockwood will now be on the sex offenders' register for life.

Sexual offences, including rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment, can have a devastating impact on the victim.

If it has happened to you, it is important to remember:

• You are not to blame - the person who raped or assaulted you is to blame;
• You do not have to cope on your own;
• There are many support services that can help you. They know how difficult it is for people to come forward and will respect and believe you.

The 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line is a freephone and online chat service, run by Rape Crisis England and Wales, for anyone aged 16 and over in England and Wales. The Support Line is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Specialist staff are there to listen, answer questions and offer emotional support. Call 0808 500 2222 or visit 247sexualabusesupport.org.uk

Find more support and signposting information on dedicated webpage: www.southyorkshire.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/advice/rape-sexual-assault-and-other-sexual-offences/