Search results for Petersfield

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Benjamin Bull, 40, of Clare Gardens in Petersfield, has been jailed for 13 years following several sexual atrocities in Waterlooville. He was found guilty by jury today (May 20) of five charges committed in 2020 and 2021 against a girl.

This included rape of a child under 13, causing a child to watch a sexual act, causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and two counts of assault of a child under 13 by penetration. Bull was handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

At the end of the five-day trial at Portsmouth Crown Court, the judge commended the victim's bravery for speaking out. They added that Bull remains a significant risk to members of the public and in particular young girls.

Detective Constable Hannah Owen, from the Eastern Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “The victim in this case showed immeasurable bravery in coming forward and incredible courage throughout the investigation and court process. Without her, we would not have secured this result.

“We are very happy with today’s result, which means that Bull will now face the consequences of his predatory and unthinkable actions. I am pleased we can give the victim the outcome the case deserved and sincerely hope that this sentence helps her begin to move forward with her life.

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A MAN has today been jailed for eight years for raping a 30-year-old woman he tricked into walking past his home and then forcing her inside it where he attacked her. Petru-Gabriel Dumea, 27, of Chapel Street, Petersfield has been sentenced to eight years in jail at Winchester Crown Court, after pleading guilty to rape at an earlier hearing. The court heard that during the evening of Tuesday, August 2, 2021, a woman was out socialising at the Black Sheep pub in Petersfield when Dumea started talking to her in the smoking area. At around 11pm, the woman left the pub to go and find her husband. Dumea followed her and told her that her husband was in the kebab shop and offered to walk her there. When they reached the kebab shop, instead of going inside, Dumea forced the woman into his home address that was nearby. When inside, Dumea started to try to kiss her whilst telling her to go upstairs. The woman refused and tried to push him away but Dumea forced her backwards onto the stairs and raped her. A short time later, another man entered the property and confronted Dumea, enabling the woman to escape. The following morning, the woman reported the incident to the police and later that day Dumea was arrested and subsequently charged with one count of rape. Appearing at Winchester Crown Court, Dumea was sentenced to eight years in jail with a five year extended licence period. He will also be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life. The woman in this case, now 31, told the court how this crime had impacted her and what she had to say to the man who had done this to her: This crime has had an enormous detrimental effect on all parts of my life. On a personal level it has completely knocked my self-confidence. I doubt everything and everyone. I feel angry about what happened. As far as Im concerned this has ruined my life. Rape has devastating consequences and we know the long term harm it causes to survivors and the impact it has on their rest of their life. Detective Constable Jack Droy from Hampshire Constabularys Operation Amberstone team said: This was a premeditated attack on a woman who Dumea had befriended in order to gain her trust and carry out his callous attack. This was understandably an extremely traumatic ordeal for the woman and I cannot commend her enough for her bravery and courage in coming forward and telling us what happened, and for her strength throughout the criminal justice process. We know its incredibly difficult for people to report incidents of this nature but with this womans help we were able to secure a guilty plea and bring this man to justice. Our Operation Amberstone team is made up of specially trained officers who are dedicated to providing survivors of rape and sexual offences with the best help and support throughout the investigation and court process. Rape investigations are some of the most complex cases we work on, and we continue to work hard in partnership with CPS Wessex to identify offenders and get justice for survivors. I hope todays sentence goes someway to giving the woman closure and reassures her, and our communities, that justice has been served.

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A retired teacher convicted of serious sexual assaults against 11 girls during the 1970s has been jailed for 20 years.

Timothy Bleach, 76, attacked girls aged between eight and 11 while he worked at Weyford Junior School in Bordon, Hampshire, between 1973 and 1980.

Passing sentence, Judge Roger Hetherington said Bleach's victims suffered "real psychological damage".

He was convicted of 56 offences including rapes, indecent assaults and acts of gross indecency.

Bleach, of Hazel Walk, Petersfield, raped one girl on no fewer than 10 occasions and another at least three times.

Hampshire Police received the first complaint against him in 2014 from a woman who had watched a BBC report on the force's work on historical sex crimes.

During a five-week trial at Portsmouth Crown Court, the jury was told Bleach attacked pupils in a school store cupboard, in classrooms and at some of their homes.

Judge Hetherington said Bleach took advantage of the girls' "innocence and trusting nature", in some cases assaulting them in front of other pupils and on other occasions at his home where he gave piano lessons.

"You used the cover of teaching, and the respect accorded to that profession, to pursue your predilection," he added.

The court heard he continued to offend after moving to Africa - raping a schoolgirl in Zambia.

Hampshire police said his victims - now women in their 40s - showed "remarkable bravery and courage" in coming forward to give evidence.

Det Insp Jim Park said: "Mr Bleach - a teacher, and as such a man entrusted to safeguard children - abused his position of trust over and over again by committing these awful acts."

Bleach showed little emotion as he was sentenced. He will not be considered for parole until he has served half of his 20 year sentence.