Locations
Wallace Gardens, Gateshead, Tyne And Wear, NE9
Description
Reece Senior, of Gateshead, left the student and child petrified and has been branded dangerous as he was jailed
A predator stalked a student through city centre streets and tried to drag her down a dark alley to carry out a sex attack then violently molested a schoolgirl.
Dangerous Reece Senior left the woman petrified after striking in Newcastle after following her in an "ominous" way. A court heard he took hold of her and tried to manhandle her down an alley at 4am as she screamed for him to stop.
She was pushed violently to the ground and even her desperately calling her boyfriend to say she was about to be raped didn't put him off, although she eventually got away. Having been bailed for that, he then subjected an 11-year-old girl to an equally shocking attack on her way to school. He pushed her against a wall before sexually assaulting her.
Now the 28-year-old pervert, of Wallace Gardens, Springwell, Gateshead has been jailed after he was convicted of false imprisonment, committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence and sexual assault, at Newcastle Crown Court. Locking him up for seven years, Judge Edward Bindloss said: "(The student) was a lone female at 4am walking the streets of this city and she was followed by you. You acted in a predatory, ominous way."
Senior took a "strong, aggressive grip" on the woman and demanded she go down an alleyway. The judge said: "She told the jury she was on the phone to her boyfriend saying 'hurry up, he is trying trying to rape me'.
"Even that didn't put you off. You repeated an angry demand that she should get in the alley with you. She struggled against your physical attempts to take her there. I'm satisfied you intended to commit rape or assault by penetration and that's how the case was put before the jury. She gave evidence she was certain you intended to rape her."
A woman was woken by the screams of the victim and heard her shouting "please" and "don't" over and over again. She suffered bruising and soreness to her hand, arm, back and buttock and was still in pain eight months later.
The court heard the psychological effects on the victim have been more long-lasting than the physical ones. She was left feeling unable to leave her house, had to move and now fears men.
It's also affected her university studies, her job, her relationship with her family, her sleeping, her appetite and she has had panic attacks, including once when she saw someone in a beany hat in Newcastle who she thought was Senior.
She said: "It was terrifying. I was followed by him for some time before he approached me. I was aware he was behind me, which made me feel uncomfortable." Prosecutor Dan Cordey added: "She was petrified about what might happen as she was followed on the streets of Newcastle."
He was released on bail and went on to commit arson when he set fire to a bin. Senior then went on to commit sex attack on the 11-year-old, who was on her way to meet a friend to go to school. Judge Bindloss said: "Given her age, she was vulnerable.
"CCTV shows you changing course, going down an alley near her and she said you whistled to attract her attention. You were in the alley alone and she was cornered.
"She was an 11-year-old schoolgirl. You used violence against her, pushed her against a wall, put your hand on her arm and squeezed her breast very hard then touched her vagina over her school clothing.
"You tried to drag her by her sleeve but lost grip and she ran off." The girl later told police she was "shocked and scared".
The court heard Senior has previous convictions, including a sexual assault against a child in 2011. Pre-sentence reports said he poses a high risk of harm to children and adults
Judge Bindloss said he had demonstrated "predatory sexual behaviour in relation to both offences" and had shown no remorse or understanding for his victims. He must serve two-thirds of the seven year sentence and will be on licence for an additional five years. He must also register as a sex offender for life and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the rest of his life.
The court heard he maintains his innocence and says he had no sexual motive. Chris Knox, defending, said: "He clearly doesn't accept that for which he is convicted." He has ADHD and learning difficulties and was using heroin at the time.