Locations
Kensington Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1
Description
A sex offender from Ipswich who targeted teenagers as they walked home has been jailed for more than two decades – despite refusing to show up to his sentencing hearing.
At Ipswich Crown Court Today, Judge Emma Peters sentenced Adiley Pires, 25 of Kensington Road, in his absence, after a conviction on two counts of attempted rape, one count of sexual assault, and common assault.
Following a nine-day trial, Pires was found guilty on all counts on October 26.
The charges related to two separate incidents in 2021 and 2022.
During the first incident, which took place between 3.10am and 3.20am on October 17, 2021, Pires chased his victim – who was 18 at the time – into the courtyard of an apartment block in College Street.
The victim had been walking down the waterfront in the direction of Stoke Bridge, when Pires approached her, tried to make conversation, and touched her bottom.
It was after she told Pires to leave her alone that he proceeded to chase her.
Once in the courtyard, Pires pushed the victim into a flower planter and attempted to lift up her dress, the court was told.
She screamed as loud as she could and got the attention of residents, who shouted at Pires, before he ran away.
CCTV footage from Cardinal Park on the night of the incident showed him watching her as she left a nightclub, before following her to the waterfront.
The club put out an appeal, and he was arrested on October 23.
Detectives sought advice for charging him with attempted rape, but a review of evidence gathered at the time led to the Crown Prosecution Service determining that more was needed.
As a result, Pires was bailed, forced to surrender his passport, and ordered to adhere to a curfew.
It would also require him to present himself to any police officer attending his home address to conduct checks.
The second incident took place in Tower Mill Street at 11.40pm on December 8, 2022.
He approached a 17-year-old girl from behind after she entered a towpath on Yarmouth Road.
He then grabbed her and pulled her to the ground, before covering her mouth, and trying to get her leggings off.
The court heard how the victim tried to fight Pires off – eventually calling for help and getting the attention of nearby residents.
He then ran off.
After the attack, officers conducted a CCTV investigation, and Pires was flagged as a suspect due to the similarity to the 2021 incident.
He was also a positive match for being present in the relevant locations at the time of the attack.
Pires was arrested on December 15 and later charged.
For the 2021 incident, Pires stood accused of one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault; and one count of attempted rape and one count of assault by beating for the 2022 attack.
Pires admitted the charge of assault by beating but denied the three other offences.
Throughout his trial, he denied the attacks were sexually motivated.
The jury dismissed these claims and found him guilty of all charges.
He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with an extended licence of six years, for a total of 21 years, and was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.
Detective Inspector James Cassedy, the senior investigating officer for the case, described Pires is a predator.
“He preyed on lone females who were simply trying to walk home after a night out and our streets are now undeniably safer with him locked up,” he said.
“In both cases, he tracked the victims’ movements and followed them to a point that he presumably thought was isolated enough for him to attack them.
“What he hadn’t accounted for was that both of these individuals would fight back and call for help. I want to pay tribute to their bravery – not just whilst being attacked, but in then sitting down and speaking with our officers afterwards and doing all they could to help us catch him.
“I also want to thank the members of the public who came to their assistance in both cases. Not only did they help to scare Pires off, they also took care of the victims and waited with them until the police arrived.
“Targeting perpetrators of sexual assault and violence against women and girls is a priority for Suffolk Constabulary – we will not tolerate it and will continue to do work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice.”