Latest Offenders

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A convicted rapist groped a woman and offered her cash for sexual favours. Horrible John Rollason, aged 68, has been found guilty by a jury of assaulting his victim.

She was left "disgusted, shocked and angry", a court heard. He was jailed 30 years ago for raping a woman after coshing her over the head and driving her to Dartmoor.

A judge has adjourned sentence for the new offence for probation and medical reports - but warned that he could be going back to prison. Rollason, a grandfather, has Type 2 diabetes and carries around an oxygen cylinder, Plymouth Crown Court heard.

The victim told the court that Rollason put his head into her chest and put his hand down her top, holding her close so that she could not break free.

Ed Bailey, opening the case for the Crown Prosecution Service at the start of his trial this week, said: "She felt disgusted, shocked and angry by what happened." He added: "He offered her some cash if she would let him continue."

The court heard that she managed to escape and fled the scene. The barrister said that she told some of her family and friends what had happened but did not call the police until more than 18 months later in August 2020.

Rollason, of Southern Close, Weston Mill, denied sexual assault on November 29, 2018. He claimed that he had put his head to her chest by accident - but admitted that he had complimented her on her breasts. Rollason denied groping.

He argued that he had a "smutty sense of humour" and was a "Benny Hill" type in reference to the risque comedian popular from the 1950s to the 1980s. But Rollason was found guilty by a unanimous verdict by the jury in less than two hours.

Judge Robert Linford released him on bail to return for sentence on April 13.

He told the defendant: "The fact that I am ordering reports and readmitting you to bail is no indication whatsoever of the sentence you will receive. You may leave and meet your wife outside."

Earlier, Mr Bailey had told the jury that Rollason had been jailed for six years for rape in 1992 - which the panel had not heard about during the trial. He said: "He was in Union Street posing as a taxi driver. He collected a female fare, drove her up to Dartmoor, coshed her over the head and then raped her."

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A convicted paedophile has been jailed for attempting to shoot a neighbour who discovered his criminal past. Arthur Hodgson, 75, tried to shoot Lee Harker twice after he learned Hodgson had been jailed in 2017 for sexually assaulting young girls. Judge Peter Kelson QC said the former East Riding of Yorkshire councillor had "taken exception to people learning about your previous sex offences". Hodgson was jailed for 21 months after he admitted firearms offences. Hull Crown Court heard Hodgson, who represented the South East Holderness ward until 2016, had moved to the city after being released from jail "for a quiet life". Judge Kelson said following his move he had fallen "into disrepute" with some people in his new neighbourhood after they learned of his previous offences. The judge said as a result he had "decided to take the law into his hands". The court heard Mr Harker did not see Hodgson shoot at him but heard sounds, which he thought was children throwing stones. Prosecutor Imran Khan said one witness said it sounded "like a BB gun". He told the court when Mr Harker learnt he was the target of the shootings he feared for his life and that of his daughter's. Judge Kelson said Hodgson had caused Mr Harker "serious psychological harm" as a result of the incident in February 2021. Hodgson, of Main Street, Great Hatfield, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence.

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A man who raped and sexually assaulted a schoolgirl over a five-year period has been jailed for 14 years.

Elton Townend-Jones, 51, of Church Road, Walpole St. Peter, Wisbech, began the sexual abuse in Cambridge in 2015 and this continued until 2020.

The offences only came to light when a relative of the girl saw something suspicious and called police, with Townend-Jones then arrested in June 2020.

In police interview he denied the offences and claimed he didnt know why the girl would accuse him of rape or sexual assault.

In his second interview, he answered no comment to all questions.

Townend-Jones stood trial at Cambridge Crown Court in February where jurors found him guilty of 11 counts. These were:

- Three counts of rape

- Two counts of assaulting a child under the age of 13 on at least 10 occasions

- One count of assaulting a child under the age of 13 on at least five occasions

- One count of assault by penetration on at least five occasions

- Three counts of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13 on at least five occasions

- One count of sexual activity with a child on at least five occasions

He was handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) to monitor any future offending and a restraining order preventing him from contacting his victim, both indefinitely, and must serve two thirds of his 14-year sentence before being considered for release.

DC Susan Brown, who investigated, said: Townend-Jones horrific sexual abuse of his victim went undetected for years and I am pleased he has finally been brought to justice.

Regardless of when it happened, we will always take reports of sexual offences, including child sex abuse, incredibly seriously.

Protecting young people from harm is one of our top priorities and we have specially trained officers who are there to support victims and bring offenders to justice.

The defendants abuse has had a huge impact on his victim and I hope she can now find some closure from this traumatic period of her life.

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He even tried to talk his way out of being jailed by claiming that he would give half of his future earnings to helping children's charities all over the world A depraved collector of child pornography willingly distributed sickening images to others but later tried to pretend that he had no sexual interest in children at all. Fast-talking and fired-up Maher Al-Shrida tried to brazen it out in court, even though he had been sent dozens of videos of children, and claimed that he had been "unlucky" and it had all been a "mistake". He was in "complete denial" and even tried to talk his way out of being jailed by claiming that he would give half of his future earnings to helping children's charities all over the world, Hull Crown Court heard. Al-Shrida, 54, of Beverley Road, Hull, admitted three offences of making indecent images of children, two of distributing indecent images of children and one of possessing extreme pornography between January 28 and July 1, 2020. He told the court: "My friends sent them to me. I did receive pornographic materials but I did not know that some of them were of children." Al-Shrida, who is Iraqi, admitted that he received batches of 30, 40, 60, 70 and 80 videos via a WhatsApp group. "A friend of mine told me that he wanted videos of children under age so I searched my gallery and I sent one video to the person who asked for it," he said. "Other videos were sent by mistake. They were part of a big group which I forwarded. I wasn't aware some of the videos were of children. "The reason I had them was that my friends used to send me 70 or 80 videos at a time. I used to send them back without realising that some of these videos were of children. It did happen on one occasion when a friend asked me specifically for a video of children and I searched the videos and I sent him this video. "This was wrong and I am stupid to do such a thing. I regret what I have done and I have already paid the price. My wife has lost her pregnancy. I was unlucky. It's just me being unlucky. Had I not found the video, I would not have reached this point. I don't have any interest in children. Had I had any interest in children, I would have gone to the doctor to get help." In a lively plea to be spared prison, Al-Shrida claimed that he would "dedicate" 50 per cent of his earnings to charities that "supported poor children all over the world to repent for my mistake". Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that Al-Shrida accepted that he provided images for people who had a sexual interest in children. "He is clear that he doesn't have a sexual interest in children," said Miss Scott. "Some of the people who have asked him for pictures to be provided did have a sexual interest in children." Al-Shrida travelled to this country in 2003 and had been a British citizen for 10 years. He was married and had a three-year-old son but had not had recent contact with him because of the court case. Judge John Thackray QC told Al-Shrida: "I have no doubt whatsoever that you do have a sexual interest in children. It may be one that you are too ashamed to admit. The evidence that you gave lacked any credibility whatsoever. Possessing and distributing indecent images of children is a serious offence. "It fuels child sexual abuse and the untold suffering and harm to children, who are abused and photographed and videoed being abused at or from a young age, and it causes adverse lifelong consequences to them. Those who possess and distribute indecent images of children for the gratification of others fuel sexual abuse. "You are in complete denial. Any exercise in rehabilitation in the community would be pointless." Al-Shrida was jailed for 16 months and was given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. He must register as a sex offender for 10 years.

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A convicted child rapist slept in the same house as child family members despite being prevented from doing so. Jason Stacey, 51, was sentenced to 14 years in prison back in 2009 after being convicted of three rapes of a male under 16, eight gross indecency with a male child charges and gross indecency with a female child, before eventually being released.

Stacey, of Stray Park Court in Camborne, appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence having pleaded guilty to five breaches of a sexual offences prevention order.

Prosecuting the case, Sam Castlehouse told the court how Staceys conviction prohibited him from having contact with children and residing at the same house as young people. He was also required to notify police if he stayed in a house with young people for more than 12 hours.

Mr Castlehouse said: On February 23 the defendant was arrested for an unrelated matter and during the investigation it became apparent the defendant may have had access to children. A bag of female childs underwear was found in his bedroom.

The court heard how following the death of Staceys twin brother, the defendant was responsible for organising the funeral which bought him in contact with family members he hadnt spoken to for many, many years.

What followed was Stacey staying at a family members address, a house occupied by children, following the funeral. He also joined family members on holiday and stayed in a caravan with children. Staceys family also visited him and stayed at his house.

Stacey accepted knowing of the terms of his order and breaching it but said he didnt deem the breaches serious as it involved family members. The family members were not aware of Staceys convictions and there was an occasion when he tickled one of them, making her feel uncomfortable.

Representing Stacey, Piers Norsworthy said there was no suggested he committed offences against children, and that Stacey engineered situations to ensure he was never alone in a room with children.

He added that Stacey was isolated, having no friends, so took the opportunity to socialise with family. Mr Norsworthy said since release Stacey had worked and to some degree rebuilt his life.

Sentencing Stacey, Judge Anna Richardson explained how the offences took place six months after Stacey was released from prison for a previous breach. She said: You repeatedly stayed with [child family members] and had access to young children.

The circumstances were that your brothers funeral took place in February 2019 and you had responsibility for some of his affairs. You made contact with family you had not had contact with since 2002 and I accept you found yourself isolated and after the funeral took advantage of the opportunity to rekindle family relationships.

This resulted in you going on holiday with them and them visiting you. You sometimes stayed on the sofa at their address.

Your family were unaware of your offending history and it appears you took underwear from their premises or they left it behind. On one occasion during your contact you had physical contact with one [family member] and left her feeling uncomfortable by lying on her and tickling her legs.

You persistently lied to police and repeatedly and deliberately breached the order.

Stacey was jailed for 16 months.

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A sexual predator jailed for sexually abusing 19 children during his teaching career, including at a Swindon school, has been condemned by police. Creighton Muirhead was sent behind bars for 11 years on Wednesday after being convicted of 23 counts of indecent assault. They relate to his time teaching at The Weald school near Dorking, Surrey, and whilst he was headmaster of Ruskin Junior School between 1995 and 2008. During his career, he would call female pupils to his desk under the pretence of marking their books, and put his hand up their skirts. He made school a place of fear, dread and distrust, according to one of his victims. Now, after he was jailed at Guildford Crown Court, the police have reacted, paying tribute to the victims and pledging that victims of sexual abuse that come forward will be believed. Senior Investigating Officer in the case, brought Surrey Police, Detective Inspector Paddy Mayers, said: I must first of all pay tribute to the victims who gave their evidence in court which has helped ensure that Muirhead is now behind bars. Muirhead targeted numerous victims on many occasions over decades and committed these offences while working at different schools in different counties. They have put their trust in him as their teacher and he has abused this trust in the worst possible way. With the number of victims and offences involved, this was a long and complex investigation and I would like to thank the team, particularly the investigating officer Detective Constable Tom Gilbert, for their hard work and determination which has resulted in Muirhead being brought to justice for his heinous crimes. I would like to remind those who offend or consider offending against children that those children grow up and are likely to come forward and that we will pursue all allegations, no matter how long ago the offences took place. We will also ensure that anyone who does come forward will not only be taken seriously but will also be provided with specialist support. The court heard during the hearing that at least one of the victims had made a report to Wiltshire Police about the abuse, but no charges were brought. There was also involvement with childrens services and a report to the board of governors, but Muirhead was allowed to keep teaching. Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Ross Linaker, also from Surrey Police, said: Creighton Muirhead was a sexual predator who used his position as a teacher to gain access to children and then sexually abuse them for his own gratification. The scale of his offending, which went unchallenged for years and occurred at two schools decades apart, cannot be underestimated. I hope that Muirheads conviction sends a clear message that we will always do everything we can to ensure allegations of sexual abuse are investigated thoroughly and that we will leave no stone unturned to get to the truth. Detective Constable Tom Gilbert, who investigated the case, added: I would like to thank all of the victims of these crimes for their courage in coming forwards and giving evidence. There is no hiding place for people who commit crimes of this nature. Muirhead was jailed for 11 years, will be on the sex offenders register indefinitely, and will not be allowed to work with children for the rest of his life.

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The dark past of a former primary school and college caretaker was exposed in court.

Robert Jones, now 70, was a caretaker at Sudley Junior School in Aigburth in the early 1970s. While working at the school the then 20-year-old exposed himself to two little girls in the toilets.

But he went on to get a job at Liverpool Polytechnic, which later became Liverpool John Moores University. During this period he subjected a little girl to depraved sexual abuse, which has only now come to light.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Jones even threatened the child that if she told her dad, her dad would "batter" him, and it would be her dad - not him - who went to prison. Prosecutors said the woman came forward to the police in 2018, after years of living with the effects of the abuse, in the 1970s and 1980s.

Jones, of Hardie Avenue, Moreton, Wirral, denied any wrongdoing, which forced his victim to give evidence in a harrowing trial. He was found guilty of five counts of indecent assault and one count of indecency with a child, in relation to the now adult victim.

Sarah Holt, prosecuting, told the jury Jones began abusing the girl when she was aged just six, by touching her genital area. The trial heard he performed a sex act in front of her on several occasions and once told her to do the same to him, which she did.

Ms Holt said he took her out in a car to a country lane close to Speke Airport, where she could watch the planes taking off. But while there, he exposed himself to her, told her to touch him and "said he would buy her things if she did".

The court heard the girl knew she didn't want to do it, but described how he made her perform a sex act, as he had done previously. Jones lowered his trousers and rubbed himself against the girl when she was clothed on another occasion, when she was aged nine or 10.

Ms Holt said when the girl was around that age, Jones asked if he could touch her breasts and told her "it would make them grow bigger". The victim described another time when she was around nine when he touched her genital area over clothing under the pretence of a game.

The court heard as the victim grew older she "knew it had to stop" and once said she would tell her dad. Ms Holt said Jones told the girl that if he found out, her dad would "batter" him, and then her dad would go to jail.

She said the child later "started to stand up" to Jones, told him "no" and refused his offers of gifts. Yet the court heard the victim "never got over her feelings of anger" towards Jones and his behaviour "had a profound effect upon her".

When interviewed by police, Jones denied ever sexually abusing the girl, accused her of lying, and denied having a sexual interest in children. He maintained this stance at trial, when he told the court he didn't have any previous convictions, except for an old driving offence.

This was supported by a police print out of his criminal record, which led to Judge Anil Murray telling the jury he was effectively of good character. However, ahead of sentencing Jones spoke to the Probation Service for a pre-sentence report and it emerged he in fact had a conviction from July 1972, which had been missed off the end of the print out.

That was for indecent exposure with intent to insult a female, under the Vagrancy Act. Further enquiries made by the prosecution revealed that at the time he had been working as a caretaker at Sudley Junior School in Aigburth Road, where it was said he had gone into a toilet while two six-year-old children were present and exposed himself.

David Watson, defending, said his client claimed he couldn't remember this offence, but accepted his criminal record was correct and wanted to be sentenced. He said Jones still denied sexually abusing his victim.

Judge Murray jailed Jones for five years. He told him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register and comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.

Jones was also accused by two other women of sexually abusing them when they were children in the 1970s and 1980s. But the jury couldn't reach verdicts in respect of those allegations, which prosecutors asked to be left to lie on the file at the conclusion of the trial.

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An alcoholic paedophile who targeted 'six children' on Facebook, ordering one to not tell her mum, has been jailed.

Steven Boorman, from the Sittingbourne area, believed he was badgering and sending indecent images of himself to underage teenagers.

But the 39-year-old was attempting to simultaneously groom paedophile hunters, telling one to be a big girl, and another mum does not need to know.

Canterbury Crown Court Judge Catherine Brown jailed Boorman, of no fixed abode, for 16 months.

Boorman badgered and pressurised the fake Facebook profiles over a series of weeks in autumn 2020, prosecutors said.

Representing himself from HMP Elmley, he said in mitigation: Ive never done this before, the drink overtook me. I would like to get back to normal, Ive lost all my family.

Boorman will be subject to a lifetime of notification requirements and 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

He pleaded guilty to nine non-contact sexual offences in August last year.

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Rapist Jamie Whiller has been caged for eight years. The 35-year-old former squaddie raped his teenage victim when she was aged 16.

His actions left the vulnerable girl unable to sleep and suffering with stress and anxiety. But she reported the abuse to her mum and the police were informed.

Now Whiller has been jailed for eight years at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Prosecutor Stefan Kolodynski said the defendant 'forced' himself upon his victim and had full unprotected sex with her.

The offending came to light when the victim told her mum what Whiller had done to her. The defendant admitted having sex with the girl when she was aged 16 but denied rape, saying it was consensual.

But Whiller, formerly of High Street, Tunstall, later pleaded guilty to two charges of rape and another serious sexual offence.

Caroline Harris, mitigating, said Whiller is very upset he has caused his victim distress. She said: "It has affected his employment. He has been called names in the street and publicly on nights out. It has resulted in the loss of his employment, the loss of his home and him moving to the south coast."

She said Whiller served in the Army from the age of 18 to 25 and has sought to live a decent hard working life. He has no previous convictions.

Miss Harris added: "He made an attempt on his life last year, such is the remorse and regret he feels."

Deputy Circuit Judge Paul Glenn made Whiller the subject of an indefinite restraining order which prevents him contacting his victim for the rest of his life. He said the defendant's suggestion in the pre-sentence report that, 'She came on to me', was 'distasteful'.

Deputy Circuit Judge Glenn added: "You knew that child was vulnerable. By your pleas you now accept she did not consent on two occasions. She submitted to your demands. You used her to satisfy your sexual appetite.

"She has been left with anxiety, depression and anger and speaks of the effect it has had on her relationship with boyfriends."

Whiller will serve two thirds of the sentence before he can be considered for release. He will be on the sex offenders' register indefinitely and was barred from a range of activities involving children and vulnerable adults.

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A child rapist is back in jail after police discovered his collection of extreme pornography.

Michael Wright was found deleting content from his laptop when a police officer visited his home. The device was seized and more than 150 images of bestiality were discovered - along with Google searches for more depraved content.

Wright was jailed in 2016 after admitting a string of child sexual offences including three counts of rape. Then of Southport, the HGV driver was sentenced to seven years in jail.

He had been released on licence when a police officer attended his home in June 2021. The visit was a requirement of a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order he was subjected to. That order banned him from having electronic devices that police were not given access to, and from having any device that could access the internet unless it recorded his search history.

Daniel Bramhall, prosecuting, said the officer who attended Wrights home believed he was attempting to deter them from going in, arguing: Its a bit of a mess. Once inside, the officer found the flat clean and tidy and saw two laptops and a mobile phone on a coffee table. One of the laptops was in use.

Mr Bramhall said: When asked if police had the details of this device the defendant said the computer did not belong to him and he was wiping it for someone who lived downstairs. He then claimed it was his laptop but that he was clearing it so that he could sell it.

Wright was arrested on suspicion of breaching his SHPO and the laptops seized. The one that was having its memory cleared was found to hold 169 images of extreme pornography, typically involving animals. The images dated back to 2016 and Wright said: I was addicted to pornography at the time it was depraved. The 54-year-old admitted possession of extreme pornography and breaching his SHPO.

Gareth Roberts, defending Wright, told Liverpool Crown Court his client had sought to fight his demons over recent years but said that in 2016: He was in the grip of an insidious and rather horrible addiction to pornography.

Mr Roberts said this decimated his clients life but said the images found on his laptop had been downloaded a long time ago and since his conviction he had worked hard to turn his life around. He added: He wants to get on with the process of rehabilitating himself.

Judge Stuart Driver, QC, said Wright was caught in the very act of deleting his laptops history but accepted there was no evidence of recent unlawful activity.

He handed Wright, who has been in prison since his arrest last summer, a six month jail term.

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He was tricked and trapped by online vigilantes This Derby paedophile tried to meet an underage girl he groomed online but he had been lured into a trap by self-styled paedophile hunters and was arrested. Derby Crown Court heard how Jason Yeomans began messaging what he thought was under 16s just weeks after being released halfway through a 10-year jail sentence for previous child sex offences. In them he asked about what underwear they were wearing and if they'd had any sexual experiences. But the sick 34-year-old pervert was snared when one of the decoy girls reported him to Derbyshire police. Handing him a five-year sentence, Judge Shaun Smith QC said: "I have to assess if you pose a risk to the public and I have absolutely no doubt that you do. Your (probation service) offender manager report concludes that you pose a risk in relation to children under the age of 16 and there is no doubt you have a sexual interest in children. "Hopefully that will be addresses while you are in custody. You suffered significant trauma in 2007 as a result of your partner being killed and that sent you into a downward spiral including you resorting to looking at pornography. You sought solace in young people and that was completely and utterly inappropriate." Sarah Slater, prosecuting, said Yeomans was handed a long prison sentence in 2016 for child sex offences and was released from custody in September of last year. She said he was sent to live at a bail hostel in Bass Street, off Ashbourne Road, and within a matter of weeks was contacting young children online through one of his two mobile phones. Miss Slater said he was told by one girl she was aged nine and he replied saying he was aged 12. But the prosecutor said that girl was really an adult posing as a young girl. She said he began talking online to a second girl who said she was 14 and lived in Tamworth but this too was really an adult posing as a youngster. Miss Slater said: "When police seized his mobile phone there were hundreds of messages between them from October 19 to November 1. He said he lived in Derby and was aged 34 and they arranged to in Burton where he said they could kiss. But she made her excuses saying she'd had a massive row with her mum which he replied to with 'okay we will rearrange it' and he asked about coming to Tamworth to meet her." Yeomans, who is originally from Alfreton, pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. He has previous convictions involving indecent images of children dating back as far as 2010. Digby Johnson, his barrister, said his client's partner died in a road crash on the A38 in 2007 and that he has never had grief counselling for that. He said that Yeomans used pornography to satisfy his late teen urges and "started to disappear into the world of the internet". Yeomans' five-year sentence is made up of two years in prison plus a three-year extended licence. It means he will be eligible to apply for parole two-thirds of the way through the custodial element of the sentence. However, he has been recalled on licence from a previous child sex offence and will not be released until 2026 at the earliest. The defendant was also handed a new, lifetime, sexual harm prevention order and will remain on the sex offender register for life.

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A MAN who sexually assaulted a young girl over several years is starting a nine-year prison sentence. James Doyle, 36, was sentenced at Hove Crown Court on Thursday, March 3, after being convicted of two counts of sexual activity with the girl, then aged under 13, at an address in East Grinstead between five and ten years ago. Doyle, of Bear Lane, Hare Hatch, Reading, will be a registered sex offender for life and was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) to run for ten years on his release, hugely restricting his access to girls under 16 and to digital communications devices. Detective Constable Rees Hopcraft, West Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit said: "Doyle gained the confidence of his victim over a period of time and then chose situations in which she was alone and vulnerable to systematically exploit her for his own gratification. "As soon as this was reported to us we took action and Doyle is no longer in a position to act in this predatory way against other children." For information on how to report concerns about sexual exploitation of children and the support that is available, see the Sussex Police website.

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Brady Hickman, 33, staked out his victims home and watched through a window as she fell asleep before striking. A predatory sex offender who raped an elderly woman after breaking into her home in the middle of the night has been jailed. Brady Hickman, 33, staked out his victims address and watched through a window as she fell asleep before striking. He sneaked inside the pensioners home and stripped naked in the hallway before entering her bedroom. Gloucester Crown Court was told the disabled woman, in her 70s, awoke in the early hours of November 11 last year to see Hickman standing in her doorway. Brady Hickman, 32, has been jailed after raping an elderly woman in her home (Gloucestershire Police/PA) James Tucker, prosecuting, said: She went to bed at about 1.15am and took off her glasses. Little did she know she was being watched by Mr Hickman a predatory sex offender and burglar. He had been seen from the evening before lurking in the shadows. It is quite clear he knew how vulnerable she was. He waited until she was dozing and gained access through a window left open to let some air in. He crept in and quickly removed all his clothing. She was awoken by him opening the bedroom door and seeing a naked man in the bedroom doorway. She couldnt make out the details as she didnt have her glasses on and he told her, Dont make a noise. I believe I am suffering from PTSD and it is affecting me in many aspects of my life. I am having flashbacks. It will take me a long time to get over what happened Hickman's victim She said she wouldnt and asked him not to hurt her. Mr Tucker said Hickman then raped the woman and, during the attack, told her he had been in prison. That was an unnecessary, threatening thing to say in the circumstances, he said. She encouraged him to leave and stated he could go home now, and she lay on the bed waiting for him to go. The woman alerted police after she heard the front door close and, out of fear, locked herself in the bathroom until officers arrived. In a victim impact statement, the woman said she felt totally violated and stripped of her dignity and has moved home. You had been waiting around in the area and lurking in the shadows. In my judgement, you had an intention to rape Judge Michael Cullum I have been suffering from panic attacks since it all happened, causing me to have a constant headache and dizzy spells, she said. I believe I am suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and it is affecting me in many aspects of my life. I am having flashbacks. It will take me a long time to get over what happened. Hickman, of Philip Street, Gloucester, had previously pleaded guilty to rape and two charges of assault by penetration. The court was told he has previous convictions for burglary, assault and robbery and, when he was 18, he sexually assaulted a teenage girl. Sarah Jenkins, defending, said Hickman had demonstrated evidence of remorse. She added: He accepted to the probation officer that, from the start, he entered with the intention to rape and that he had a bad thought.' Judge Michael Cullum said Hickman is dangerous. On November 11, you changed the course of her life irretrievably. Life was already difficult for her, he said. You had been waiting around in the area and lurking in the shadows. In my judgement, you had an intention to rape and that is quite clear from your first act of stripping naked. She must have feared for her life. She was entitled to feel safe in her own home. I doubt she will ever again. The harm you caused to her is incalculable. Hickman will spend up to 10 years in prison. He can apply for parole after serving two-thirds of that sentence. The remainder of his 15-year sentence will be on licence. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for life and made subject of a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim directly or indirectly. Detective Sergeant Faye Satchwell-Bennett, of Gloucestershire Police, said: The victim has shown amazing strength and courage, and has asked us to say thank you to our officers and the community for the support she has received and for helping her to feel safe again. Hickman committed a horrifying sexual attack on a vulnerable victim and is clearly a threat to women. I am pleased to see justice has been served at court today and that he will not have access to the general public for a very long time.