Locations
Sayers Avenue, Malvern, WR14
Description
A CONVICTED rapist has been found guilty of an attack on a second woman and now faces even longer behind bars.
David Gilks of Sayers Avenue, Malvern was convicted of a second rape by a jury just before Christmas and falls to be sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, February 17.
The 30-year-old sex offender carried out the rape against an adult woman in September 2019.
Gilks denied the offence but was convicted by the jury on December 23 last year. The case was then adjourned for sentence. He remains in custody until he is sentenced later this month. Time spent on remand is deducted from any custodial sentence imposed by the court.
He also has a previous conviction for rape from September 2014 which is taken as an aggravating feature by the courts. This attack was also against an adult woman.
West Mercia Police has applied for a sexual harm prevention order which, for the first time, contains a positive requirement other than prohibitions.
Officers and civilian staff with an intimate knowledge of the case stressed that it would be for a judge sitting in the crown court to decide whether the draft order they had requested would be granted.
The positive requirement would require Gilks to inform West Mercia Police of information which they believe would better help them monitor his behaviour in the community upon release.
Although a sexual harm prevention order is a civil order, breaching it is a criminal offence and can bring sex offenders back before a court where they may face more draconian measures to monitor and control their behaviour or, potentially, a further custodial sentence.
A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: "We are committed to protecting women and girls from sexual violence and harm using every tool at our disposal, especially civil orders."
She said West Mercia Police was committed to using new legislation to protect the public in South Worcestershire.
We have previously reported how police and crime commissioner John Campion has highlighted the impact of Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) on society with a focus on educating, encouraging a societal change, engaging with the community and empowering women and girls.
VAWG has featured heavily in the headlines in the last year following the tragic death of Sarah Everard with the second anniversary of her murder next month.