A millionaire philanthropist who called himself ‘Boss Man’ will die in jail for drugging and raping victims on camera after police found footage of the attacks hidden in a mints tin and charged him with 92 offences.
Victims Call Him a Monster
Retired Ian Elliott, 71, from Pulborough in West Sussex – described by victims as a monster who ruined lives – was this afternoon sentenced to 23 years behind bars.
Hove Crown Court heard how he drugged, raped and filmed his attacks on teenagers and young men over decades.
Some of the men, all in their late teens or early 20s, had no idea what Elliott had done to them until they were contacted by police.
What Investigations Revealed
Hours of video were only discovered after Elliott – who will be at least 83 before being eligible to apply for parole – tried to get a friend to dispose of a tin for mints which was instead full of memory cards from his cameras.
His prison phone call while on remand was played to the court, with Elliott heard insisting he needed the tin to be gone.
Another 75 charges followed after the cards were handed to police – and now video footage has been released showing the sex offender at his countryside home.
He Pleaded Guilty
Elliott pleaded guilty late last year to 43 charges include rape, sexual assaults, ABH, drug possession and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Judge Jeremy Gold told Elliott he showed no remorse or empathy towards the four men who he groomed and abused over a 12-year period.
Court Ruling
The judge said on Thursday: ‘You would systematically abuse them and video record your abuse.
‘In some cases, they were so intoxicated they would not realise or remember the sexual indignities they were subjected to.’
Elliott admitted 11 rapes, one attempted rape, six more sexual assaults, 17 counts of voyeurism, one ABH, possession of drugs and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
He hung his head in the dock at Hove as the judge sentenced him.
Mr Gold said: ‘It is apparent from all the material, they would be retained by straps and you have a sexual fetish for riding boots worn by the young man you were abusing, yourself or both.
‘This must have been profoundly shocking for them. Recording of your offending gave you the opportunity to watch again for your own sexual gratification.
‘This was a campaign of degrading and abusive offending over a 12-year period.’
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Court Heard
The judge described how Elliott was obsessed with riding boots while also referring to himself as ‘Boss’ and encouraging his victims to call him ‘Boss’ or ‘Boss Man’.
All the time he was carrying out his campaign of rape, Elliott was a pillar of the community who funded local sports clubs and a cricket pavilion.
The married father-of-two turned rooms above the garages at his rural Sussex mansion into a home studio he called The Penthouse.
In more than 90 hours of video recordings, Elliott carried out violent sexual abuse and rapes of men – often involving riding boots, straps and a wetsuit.
The tycoon edited the films, rewatching his attacks, Hove Crown Court heard.
Descriptions of his horrific video collection were read out in silence, with the clips too disturbing to play in open court.
When his victims were able to cry out in pain or tell Elliott to stop, their pleas were ignored, prosecutor Rachel Beckett said.
How He Groomed Them
Elliott, who made his money building an office supplies company in Sussex, lavished money, trips and gifts on the men he abused.
He groomed them with foreign holidays, trips in his helicopter and on board his boat as well as providing cash and nights out.
92 Charges Against Him
The final indictment against him had 92 charges including 11 rapes, sexual assaults, actual bodily harm, drug possession and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Police found more than 90 hours of video and hundreds of thousands of pictures on Elliott’s computers and storage devices.
