Latest Offenders Daventry

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A sex attacker told his victim he was going to take her to the lake and rape her, a court heard.

Adam Cuss, 26, was jailed for five years at Oxford Crown Court last week after he admitted the brutal assault.

Prosecutor Alexandra Bull told Recorder Stuart Trimmer KC that the defendant was walking his victim back to her flat in Witney in the early hours of March 26 last year when he launched the terrifying attack.

“He pushed her to the floor and put his weight on top of her. He started saying he was going to [have sex with] her, they were going to go down to the lake and he would rape her,” the prosecutor said.

Cuss was said to have told the woman he ‘worked with butchers’ knives and he was going to cut her up’, the court heard.

“This isn’t you,” she told the attacker, screaming his name repeatedly.

He was said to have replied: “This is me. I’ve been wanting to do this for months.”

He touched the woman, telling her: “You like this, don’t you?” She made it clear that she did not.

At one point she tried to punch him, ‘which made him angry’.

In the hope of buying herself time to get help, she told Cuss they could ‘do it in her flat’.

He then dragged her a short distance, the court heard.

A neighbour was at the communal door to the flats as they arrived at the block.

“She said to [the neighbour] that he was trying to rape her and asked her help. The neighbour told her to go upstairs,” Ms Bull told the court.

The woman ran upstairs and called for help.

She could hear Cuss tell her neighbour that he was her ‘brother’.

Having reached the safety of her flat, the victim received a Facebook message from the defendant saying ‘you’re done, I’m coming back now’.

She later became aware that the front door had been damaged.

Appearing before Oxford Crown Court on Thursday (March 2), Cuss, of Chartwell Close, Daventry, admitted attempted sexual assault by penetration, sexual assault and criminal damage.

Recorder Trimmer imposed five years’ imprisonment and a restraining order banning him from contacting his victim for 10 years.

The case was dealt with without a pre-sentence report from the probation service.

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A REMORSELESS "sexual predator" has been jailed for 16 years for raping a young child in the Bradford district.

James Osborne, 42, was convicted by a jury after a trial at Bradford Crown Court of two charges of raping a child under 13.

After the case, detectives said Osborne is "known to have travelled around the UK" and they urged anyone with any further information about him to come forward.

Osborne was sentenced today on a video link to HMP Leeds where he was remanded in custody.

Prosecutor Gerald Hendron said the child now woke up in the middle of the night screaming, and had been particularly vulnerable because of their youth.

Derek Duffy, Osbornes barrister, said his client fundamentally disagreed with the evidence given in the trial and was appealing the conviction.

He had a limited capacity because of his placement on the autism spectrum and that would make his time in prison far more difficult for him.

Judge Ahmed Nadim said the offences involved a degree of planning.

Osborne, of The Pyghtles, Daventry, Northamptonshire, had harmed the child both physically and psychologically.

Judge Nadim noted that the defendant was assisted by an intermediary during the trial in November last year because he had autism. But there was no evidence as to how that contributed to his offending.

Because he had not owned up to what he had done he was not entitled to any credit for pleading guilty.

Osborne had shown no remorse or appreciation of the damage he had inflicted on his victim, Judge Nadim said.

Following the jurys guilty verdicts, the case was adjourned for the probation service to assess the level of dangerousness posed by Osborne.

Judge Nadim told him he must serve at least half of the 16-year custodial term behind bars before the Parole Board can consider his release.

He will then serve the balance on a licence with a 12-month extension period.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was made without limit of time and Osborne must also sign on the sex offender register for life.

After the case, Detective Constable Julia Coates, of Bradford Safeguarding Unit, said: I would first like to praise the bravery of this young child for coming forward and disclosing Osbornes offending.

The child was put through the daunting experience of a criminal trial and has showed so much courage and dignity throughout.

I would like to welcome the sentence that has been handed down to Osborne today for his horrendous crimes.

"He is a sexual predator and his actions and behaviour towards young children is disturbing.

"He is known to have travelled around the UK and I would urge anyone who has any further information about him to contact the police.

I would also encourage anyone who may have been a victim of any sexual offence to come forward and speak to the police.

"You will be listened to and supported by specially trained officers throughout and also be referred to further help and support if needed.

"We will do all we can to secure justice for any victim.