Locations
Blythewood, Skelmersdale, WN8
Description
Lancashire man David Bennett – a registered sex offender - filmed the sex assaults on his phone, with the victim having no recollection what had happened.
Bennett and the woman had shared drinks at her home one evening in May last year, having earlier agreed to go on a date.
They then briefly went to a friend’s house together, before returning to her home.
From then on, she was unable to recall the remainder of the night. It was while she was asleep and unresponsive that Bennett sexually assaulted her.
Bennett attempted to contact her numerous times in the days which followed.
Concerned by his strange behaviour in continuing to ring and text her and having searched his name on the internet where she found newspaper articles relating to Bennett’s previous offending, she contacted Lancashire Police who launched an investigation.
When he was arrested, Bennett’s phone was seized and videos of him sexually assaulting the woman while she was unresponsive and not moving, were found.
Bennett, 40, of Blythewood, Skelmersdale, appeared at Preston Crown Court on Monday (13th January) for sentencing.
He had been found guilty by a jury of two offences of sexual assault after a trial.
The judge passed a 10-year sentence, comprising five years in prison with an extended five-year licence period.
An indefinite restraining order and an indefinite sexual harm prevention order were also imposed by the judge.
Det Con Chris Wilding of Lancashire Police's South Division Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team, said: “David Bennett is a dangerous offender and I welcome the lengthy prison sentence which the judge passed.
“He committed abhorrent offences against his victim who was unable to defend herself.
“We take all offences of a sexual nature very seriously and will investigate them thoroughly so that offenders can be brought to justice.”