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Police believe a former Catholic priest who sexually abused children over decades may have additional victims yet to come forward.

Dennis Finbow, 77, who served in Peterborough and St Neots, Cambridgeshire, was jailed for 11 years on Friday for 15 indecent assaults on five victims, most under 16 at the time.

Finbow, formerly of Martlesham near Ipswich, was already serving a six-and-a-half-year sentence for abusing a young girl in the 1980s.

"I believe people are out there who perhaps have been offended against, who have not come forward because they may be following this case intently, perhaps seeking some closure," said Det Con Annette Renwick.

"Some are going to be parents, grandparents now. We're talking decades ago that this happened for some people. I think they've no intention of unlocking that box and that trauma that comes with it… and that's OK."

Renwick, who led the investigations, noted one accuser died before justice was served.

Finbow was a prominent community figure in the 1980s and 1990s, known for work in schools, hospitals, charities, and children's social clubs.

"So, a very well-known and respected figure. But there was a darker side as well," she added.

"As we found out… with that role of respect and trust, unfortunately, there was a side where he was able to exploit that trust with children that he came into contact with."

Finbow left active ministry in 2001. He initially denied the allegations, calling the investigation a "witch hunt," claiming grudges, insisting he was a "good priest," and alleging a conspiracy, per Renwick.

After a January 2023 trial at Huntingdon Crown Court, he was placed on the sex offenders register for life.

In December 2024, Pope Francis removed his clerical status following the convictions.

The Diocese of East Anglia stated it fully cooperated with police and safeguarding authorities.

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A man who committed a string of child sex offences in the 70s and 80s has been convicted following a trial.

Andrew Davies, 58, of Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent, went on trial at Stafford Crown Court this week after he was charged with the offences following our investigation.

The survivors bravely came forward in 2023 and told police about what had happened to them. Our specialist officers from our public protection unit worked tirelessly to gather all of the evidence and to support them as much as possible.

When Davies was brought in for questioning in July 2023, he answered no comment to all of the questions.

Following a trial that ended on Wednesday (9 July), Davies was convicted of 10 sexual offences. The jury found him guilty on one count of rape of a female under 16, four counts of sexual assault of a girl and one count of inciting a girl to commit an act of gross indecency. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of inciting a girl to commit an act of gross indecency and two counts of sexual assault of a girl.

He will be sentenced at Stafford Crown Court on 29 September.

Detective Constable Lily Rowley, from our rape and serious sexual offences unit, said:

“I’m pleased that we’ve been able to deliver this result for the survivors, who have shown immense bravery in coming forward and telling people about Davies’ heinous crimes.

“No matter how long ago or recent offences of this nature may have been, we want survivors to know that we are determined to support you and to act robustly against those responsible.”

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A man has today (Oct 10) been jailed for rape and sexual assault against a child.

Raif Mentesh, 45, of Dowbeck Road, Carlisle was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court to 14 years imprisonment.

He must also register with police indefinitely and was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

This offending occurred against one victim, prior to 2024.

Detective Constable Linzi Wilkinson from Cumberland CID said

“If you are a child or young person and have been victim to sexual offences, please tell someone and report this to police so that we can investigate.

“We take reports of this nature extremely seriously and we will do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice, as seen in today case.

“Support is available and the Constabulary works closely with trusted partner agencies to provide the appropriate support which is tailored to an individual’s circumstances."

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A man who tried to rape a teenager as she walked through a park has been given a 14-year extended prison sentence.

Malcolm Clixby attacked the girl in South Park, in Darlington, at around 4.50pm on November 2 last year.

The 43-year-old followed the teenager as she walked to a party before grabbing her from behind and trying to rape her.

She managed to bite Clixby’s hand several times, which caused him to let go of her, and she ran to a nearby petrol station for help.

Police were called and a search for the suspect was launched, while officers safeguarded the young woman.

Later that evening, just before 8pm, Clixby attended Darlington Police Station to hand himself in.

Before being placed in cuffs, he told officers: “I want to report an incident I have done – I groped somebody in South Park and attempted to rape her.”

Clixby, of Darlington, was questioned by detectives and later charged with attempted rape and sexual assault.

He admitted sexual assault, but denied attempted rape. However, a jury sitting at Durham Crown Court found him guilty of the offence following a trial.

Clixby appeared back at court today (October 9) where he received a 14-year extended sentence, comprising of eight years in prison and six years on extended licence.

In a victim impact statement, the young woman said:

“This incident has affected me in a lot of ways – in the first month I couldn’t leave the house and I didn’t go to college or work, so it has affected my career.

“It has had a massive impact on my social life – I was so anxious about going out so I stopped going out with my friends.

“It stopped me sleeping – I had really bad, vivid dreams about what happened that night.

“The biggest impact this has had on me is the fact that it caused me to have such bad anxiety. This was something I never suffered with before this incident, and it has impacted my future studying. I have decided to take a gap year from university because, although I am getting better, I do not feel as though at the minute I could deal with the stresses from this, so it has been postponed.”

Detective Constable Subhaan Ali, of Darlington CID, led the investigation. He said:

“Firstly, I want to commend the bravery and resilience of the survivor, who has shown incredible courage in reporting her ordeal to police and seeing the case through to court.

“Every step of the way, she has been determined to support our investigation and has done everything she can to help secure a conviction and get the justice she deserves.

“Clixby deliberately and opportunistically targeted the girl as she walked alone to a party – he turned what should have been an enjoyable evening with friends into a horrific nightmare that will have a significant and profound impact on her for many years to come.

“He clearly poses a significant risk to lone women and girls, so I am pleased to see him receive a substantial prison sentence.

“I can only hope that the survivor and her family can take some comfort from this sentence imposed and that she is able to move forward with her life again.”

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A Tidworth man has been jailed for seven and a half years after being found guilty of rape.

Following a trial at Winchester Crown Court in July, Gary Conibear, 33, from Tidworth was found guilty of raping a woman following a night out.

The court heard how Conibear had met up with a woman on a night out with friends in Tidworth in June 2022, where they played pool and drank together.

He later offered to walk her home and they both fell asleep, fully clothed on her bed.

She later awoke to find him raping her.

On Monday (06/10) Judge Rufus Taylor sentenced Conibear to 90 months prison and imposed an indefinite restraining order preventing him from having direct or indirect contact with the survivor.

In a powerful and moving personal statement, read to the court, the survivor said:

“No words will ever truly capture how these last three years have broken, changed, and reshaped me. But I will try, because I need you to understand what was taken from me, what I’ve survived, and what I still carry every single day.

“When this happened to me, I didn’t just feel hurt, I felt ashamed. I blamed myself. I asked over and over, What did I do wrong? Why me? What haunts me the most, is how he did it without a flicker of remorse.

“The assault didn’t just happen in a moment. It echoed. It infected every part of my life.

I stopped leaving my house. For 18 months, I was locked away from the world, gripped by fear, shame, and agoraphobia. I stopped seeing my friends. I stopped seeing my family. I stopped seeing me.

“I was exhausted by the weight of what had been done to me. I was living in a constant loop of fear, shame, and despair. 

“There is no justice that can erase what happened. There is no sentence long enough that can give me back the years I’ve lost, the nights I’ve cried, the peace that was stolen from me.

“But I’m here. I am still standing, scarred, yes, but not silenced.

“All I ask is this: please see the pain. Please feel the weight of what I’ve been through. Because I carry it every single day in my mind, in my body, and in the way I now live my life.”

The lead officer in this case, Detective Constable Sue Ellway said:

“I would like to recognise the courage of the survivor in this case, who has had to endure an unimaginable personal struggle in the wake of this ordeal.

“Despite this, she has managed to find the strength to work with us to help bring this offender to justice - having to go through two trials, after the first resulted in a hung jury.

“I would also like to recognise the support given to the survivor by Horizon victim and witness care who were there for her every step of the way.

“Conibear will now be deprived of liberty for a substantial period - I hope that he reflects upon his selfish and despicable actions and the harm he has caused.”

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A man who plied a teenage girl with vodka before raping her has been jailed for more than nine years. 

Sajeenthira Dharmendra, 24, met the 17-year-old on an online chat platform and arranged to meet her in St Neots on 11 October last year.

The victim, who was nervous about getting into his car, asked him to empty his pockets and checked the boot.

Once reassured, she got into his car, and they drove to a shop where he brought alcohol and a vape.

Dharmendra poured vodka into a bottle of cola and pressurised the teenager into drinking large gulps and told her she would be “wasting his time” if she didn’t.

After driving to the Riverside Car Park, Dharmendra sexually assaulted the victim, and she told him to stop.

But he made her drink more alcohol, resulting in her passing out.

When she came to, the victim realised the bottom half of her clothes had been stripped off.

She had no recollection of what had happened, but she felt pain.

The pair fell asleep in the car, and upon waking in the early hours of the next day, the victim unlocked Dharmendra’s phone and was horrified to learn he had filmed himself sexually assaulting her while she was unconscious.

The victim forwarded the video on to another phone, so she had a record of what he had done.

After he woke up, Dharmendra dropped the victim off in the town where she fled to a friend’s house and called the police.

Dharmendra was later arrested at his Essex home, 75 miles away.

Following a trial last month, Dharmendra, of Springfield Mews, Mill Road, Aveley, near South Ockendon, was found guilty of rape and assaulting a female 13 and over by penetration with part of a body/thing.

He pleaded guilty to voyeurism and make indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child.

Yesterday (8 October), at Cambridge Crown Court, Dharmendra was sentenced to nine years and six months in prison and placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Hurst said Dharmendra deliberately had made the victim drink a large amount of alcohol with the intention of having sex with her – regardless of whether it was consensual.

“Everything that followed made it clear that she was only 17 - much younger than you,” he said. “Your sole, single-minded purpose was for sexual intercourse. You planned to buy alcohol to get her drunk. You were sober.

“You were responsible for this girl who was very drunk, late at night, in the back of your car. What you should have done was decide that she was far too drunk and take her home. Instead, you raped her.”

DC James Collinwood, who investigated, said:

“I would like to praise the victim for not only reporting what had happened, but having the foresight to secure evidence by sending the video on. She has shown tremendous strength and bravery during the investigation and trial.

“I hope it gives confidence to other victims to come forward, knowing they will be listened to, and the police and wider criminal justice system will do everything they can to get justice for them.”

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A man from Swansea has been jailed after he pleaded guilty to the rape and sexual assault of a male victim.

41-year-old Johnathan Jones, from Sketty, took his vulnerable victim into a pub toilet cubicle and when the victim tried to push him away, Jones attempted to offer the victim money in order to continue.

After the victim reported this to police, Jones was arrested the same day.

After initially claiming the sexual activity was consensual, Jones pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, as well as further counts of sexual assault and assault by penetration.

Jones has been handed a custodial term of nine years with an extension period of four years, meaning a total custodial period of 13 years.

Detective Constable Rabaiotti said:

“Johnathan Jones took advantage of a vulnerable man in the most depraved way.

“This was not the first time Jones has committed a sexual offence. This was a pattern of behaviour following previous offences, but this case was aggravated by the fact Jones knew the victim was particularly vulnerable.

“I commend the victim on their bravery in coming forward. This was a difficult investigation, but the result is that a very dangerous man has been removed from the streets for a significant period of time.”

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A man who sexually assaulted two women in a shopping centre bathroom, hours after attacking a teenager, has been jailed for eight years.

Phillip Daniel, 34, from Barry, grabbed the teenage girl in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, on 26 July 2024, pinning her to a wall—but she wrestled free, fled, and alerted police.

Daniel then boarded a train to Cardiff, where he attacked two women, moments apart, in the women's toilets at St David's shopping centre.

At sentencing in Newport Crown Court on Wednesday, Judge Lloyd-Clarke described Daniel—who has been detained under the Mental Health Act since the attacks—as a "very high risk" to women.

The judge ordered an extended four-year licence period after his prison term, lifelong registration as a sex offender, and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order banning him from women's or unisex public toilets for 15 years and from unsupervised contact with children.

The court heard Daniel told police "voices in his head" had instructed him to travel to Cardiff for the sexual attacks, which left his victims traumatised.

Daniel was previously under a community order for assaulting a lone female jogger in Cardiff's Bute Park on 31 January 2023.

Defence barrister William Bebb said Daniel had a "complex" mental health background, had been detained under the Mental Health Act for 15 months since the offences, and that a medication change had "brought some stability."

The teenage victim reported anxiety, isolation, and disrupted GCSE preparations. One adult victim felt fearful and uncomfortable in public bathrooms, while the other suffered panic attacks and sleep difficulties.

Police found a Viagra tablet in Daniel's wallet upon arrest, but no evidence he took it that day.

A psychiatric report concluded he posed an "elevated risk to females, particularly minors."

Daniel was sentenced for four sexual assaults and the violent assault on the teenager.

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A 23-year-old sex offender, Tristan Shaughnessy, is due to be sentenced after admitting to sexually communicating with a child under 16.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard that Shaughnessywho has 10 siblingsasked a schoolgirl for "sexual intercourse" in messages sent between August 1, 2022, and October 1, 2022.

The offense came to light one year after his 2021 sentencing for breaching sex offender notification requirements by sleeping in a house with three children.

Shaughnessy, of Canary Road, Adderley Green, pleaded guilty to the charge.

Elizabeth Power, mitigating, said:

He accepts the communications sent from his phone to the complainant. He is now 23 years of age, but he was aged 20 at the time of the offending.

He has been released on unconditional bail and will be sentenced at the same court on November 25.

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A Coventry man has been convicted of rape and sexual assault against a young girl in the city.

Brendan Dalton subjected the girl to horrendous abuse on a number of occasions between 2002 and 2013.

He was identified after she bravely came forward to tell her story.

The abuse began back when the girl was a young child, with Dalton assaulting her on a number of occasions at an address in Coventry.

In 2022, Dalton then communicated online with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old child.

This was a decoy, however, and Dalton was arrested by officers from Coventry LPA.

Examining Dalton's phone, officers found indecent images of children, including several Category A images - the most extreme classification.

Dalton, 57, was charged with a series of offences including rape, indecent assault and making indecent images, as well as sexual communication with a child.

Dalton, of Coundon Road, Coventry, was convicted on 2 October at Warwick Crown Court.

He will be sentenced on 5 December and was remanded in custody until that date.

Every day our officers across the West Midlands investigate rape and serious sexual assaults.

No matter how long ago the offences took place, we promise to listen to survivors and investigate all reports we receive.

By coming forward and sharing your story, you could be helping secure justice for other survivors of sexual offences.

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A serial sex offender has been branded a danger to the public after sexually abusing a vulnerable young girl—the "third time" he has committed "a series of sexual offences." Alan Green, previously jailed in 2000 and 2015, has now been imprisoned again for offenses against the girl, Hull Crown Court heard.

Green, 46, of Mersey Street, off Holderness Road, east Hull, but recently in custody on remand, admitted sexually assaulting a child under 13, causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, assault by penetration, and making indecent images of children.

Prosecutor David Godfrey said the girl encountered Green after he began hanging around a Hull area and approached her. He talked to her, and her mother recognized him from Hull Live coverage of his prior offenses. During incidents, Green "did disgusting things to her," and indecent images were found on his phone. He gave her cigarettes. She later said: "I feel stressed, depressed and helpless and I want him to get locked up for ever, for the rest of his life. I keep having flashbacks and my head keeps going crazy. I am scared in case he gets out."

In 2000, Green was jailed for seven years and five months for aggravated burglary, indecent assault, and theft. In 2015, he received four-and-a-half years for sexual assault and a sexual harm prevention order.

Defense lawyer Michele Stuart-Lofthouse called it "very concerning behaviour" but noted Green's early guilty plea. "He understands fully what he has done," she said. "He has shown remorse. He fully understands that he was the adult in this situation. He hasn't had any assistance in the past with any rehabilitation." Green had faced personal problems.

Judge Alexander Menary said a concerned neighbor raised alarms after seeing Green with the girl and alerted her mother. "You perpetrated increasingly serious sexual abuse on a young child," he told Green. "You started to touch her up. This is the third time that you have committed a series of sexual offences."

Deemed a dangerous offender, Green was jailed for 10-and-a-half years with a five-year extended license upon release. He received a lifetime sexual harm prevention order and must register as a sex offender for life.

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Lewis Cooper, 25, from Hartlepool, was added to the sex offenders’ register in 2023 after his conviction for possessing indecent images of children.

This required him to notify police of any plans to travel abroad. However, in May this year, UK Border Force informed authorities of his return from a two-week trip to Jakarta, surprising police.

Prosecutor Nicci Horton told Teesside Crown Court that the Indonesian capital is a destination “of concern” due to risks to children from traveling British sex offenders. When visited at home, Cooper repeatedly denied having a passport until confronted with proof. Photos on his phone showed him with a young woman and children.

Cooper pleaded guilty to four counts of failing to comply with notification requirements. He had also used online aliases and deleted an Instagram account without informing police.

Defense lawyer Michael Cahill cited a “lack of understanding” of the rules, noting Cooper’s role as carer for his stepfather and arguing that his “underlying issues” from the prior offense could be better addressed in the community than in prison.

But Recorder Nathan Adams stated: “The notification requirements were clear.” He called the Jakarta trip “particularly concerning.” Cooper, of Straker Street, was jailed for 24 months.

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The bravery of a rape survivor has been praised after a man was found guilty of rape, sexual assault and controlling and coercive behaviour.

Kane Walker, 21, previously of County Road, Swindon, denied the offences but was found guilty today (08/10) following a trial by jury at Bristol Crown Court.

He has been remanded into custody ahead of sentencing on November 19.

On March 6 last year, the victim, a woman in her 20s who was known to Walker, reported to police that she had been raped by Walker and had been subjected to a prolonged period of controlling and coercive behaviour by him.

This included putting an Airtag in her bag and repeatedly turning on her live location without her knowledge, and controlling what she could wear and who she could see.

Walker was arrested and interviewed the following day.

Two days later, while on bail, Walker attempted to intimidate the victim into dropping the case and continued to assert his control over her by setting a BMW belonging to a family member of the victim on fire.

He was charged with arson and witness intimidation and was jailed for these offences in November last year.

Following an investigation by Wiltshire Police’s CID, Walker was charged with multiple sexual offences against the victim and remanded into custody ahead of a trial.

Today, he was found guilty of one count of rape, sexual assault and controlling and coercive behaviour.

Major Crime Investigator Catherine Baird said:

“Firstly, I’d like to say how proud I am of the victim and how much I admire her bravery throughout this process.

“Walker attempted to scare her into dropping the case, but she showed great courage and his awful actions were then used as evidence in this trial.

“I hope today’s verdict mean she can now start to heal and move forward with her life.

“She is a survivor and took a stand against this dangerous bully, and her bravery and strength will help to protect other women.

“No woman should have to endure what Walker subjected her to.

“I am glad justice has been served and I thank the victim, the witnesses in the case and the members of the jury for helping to achieve this.”

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A "dangerous" sex attacker has been jailed by a judge who branded him a significant risk of very serious harm to women. Jack Bell, 22, left two victims with lasting psychological trauma after targeting them as they walked alone in Northallerton. He was later convicted of two stalking offenses against lone women in Hartlepool.

At Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday, Judge Jonathan Carroll described Bell as a "dangerous" offender with an "utterly distorted view of women" and "sexual entitlement" over them.

In the first assault, Bell grabbed a woman between the legs as she moved aside to let him pass, then fled. While under investigation, he committed the second attack. The victim had noticed him following her the previous day. The next evening, he followed her again into an alleyway, tried to engage her, then sexually assaulted her, attempted a headlock, grabbed her throat, and tried to force her to the ground. Fearing he was reaching for a weapon, she resisted. "The defendant then looked at her, smiled at her then spat on the floor," said prosecutor Paul Cleasby. "The defendant then said to his victim, 'you f***ing weirdo' before he ran from the scene."

The first victim said the experience was "awful" and remains traumatizing, affecting her mental health, relationships, and self-worth: "He took what he wanted, without permission, and I now have to deal with the repercussions on my self-worth and confidence all because of his actions." She added it has "completely changed me as a person."

The second victim, diagnosed with PTSD, depression, and anxiety, said: "My mental health is at its absolute lowest. I have flashbacks and see his face when I'm trying to sleep. When I look back to that day I remember thinking he was going to kill me. It's ruined my life. I don't know if I will ever be the same again."

Since the assaults, Bell served 16 weeks for stalking in Hartlepool. Bell, of Balmoral Road, Rossmere, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to two sexual assault counts. Defense lawyer Jonathan Walker said Bell was "deeply sorry" and showed remorse as an "immature young man" confronting "concerning" traits.

The judge noted a "pattern of stalking lone women" for sexual offending. Of the first victim: "still living and reliving that moment over and over again." Of the second: "Having done it once and having been arrested on it... you clearly had developed a taste for this behaviour." He highlighted Bell's post-assault smile, spit, and insult as showing distorted views. Unless Bell changes, "you are and are likely to remain for the foreseeable future, a very significant risk of very serious harm."

Bell received an extended sentence: four years in prison plus two years on extended license, with an indefinite restraining order.

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Dennis Kiwia appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday 29 September, where he was jailed for four years.

The custodial sentence comes after Kiwia was found guilty of the rape of a woman over 16 at the conclusion of a five-day trial on Friday 15 August 2025.

The court heard that on Saturday 23 December 2023, the victim, a 19-year-old woman, was on a Christmas night out with friends in Widnes. The group had been drinking at a pub in the town centre, with the victims’ friends later going home for the night, leaving her sitting alone as the venue began to close.

However, Kiwia was also in the premises with her.

CCTV footage taken from the night of the incident showed the 39-year-old calling the victim over and to sit with him and, after doing so, the pair struck up a conversation and Kiwia taking ‘selfie’ photographs with her on his phone before leaving the venue.

Further footage would show the victim appearing unsteady on her feet as she got up to leave the venue, with Kiwia seen walking arm-in-arm with her as they walked across the outside car park to his car.

The victim would later tell police that she awoke on Christmas Eve morning in Kiwia’s address, in the Albert Road area of Widnes, without any clothes on, unsure as to how she got there.

Quickly leaving Kiwia’s is address, she returned home to speak to a parent regarding how she believed she was raped, as she could not have been able to consent to any sexual intercourse.

The incident was then reported to Cheshire Police and Kiwia was promptly arrested by CID officers and brought into custody.

During interview, he told investigating officers that he had been drinking at the same venue as the victim and had spoken to her on the night in question. He went on to say that he helped her into his car following the closing of the venue and offered her a lift to her home, but claimed that she told him to take her to his home.

He then told officers that the pair engaged in consensual sex before falling asleep in the early hours, with the victim then waking up later that day and deciding to go home alone – despite him offering a number of times to take her there himself.

Despite his claims, Kiwia was subsequently charged.

Throughout the entire investigation, we would maintain he was innocent.

Detective Constable Gemma Nicolson, of CID Reactive North, said:

"Dennis Kiwia's inability to accept any accountability for his actions not only prolonged justice being served, but it forced also the victim to relive the entire ordeal all over again during his five-day subsequent trial.

"Kiwia maintained he was the innocent party in this case, where, in fact, he took advantage of a vulnerable young woman nearly 20 years his junior who had simply been out enjoying the Christmas festivities with her friends for his own pleasure.

"We treat all reports of rape and sexual assault with the utmost seriousness and place the needs of the victim at the very heart of our investigations, ensuring they are supported throughout every step of enquiries and any following court proceedings."