BRIDGWATER MAN GETS LONGER JAIL FOR BRUTAL RAPE
A 28-year-old man from Bridgwater, Alin-Vasile Iercosan, was involved in a severe sexual assault after stalking a woman on her way home.He followed her for hours through the city streets before attacking her in a parking area on January 28.
CCTV footage documented the moment he sprinted to catch her just before the assault took place.
After committing the crime, Iercosan returned to his shared residence, acting as if nothing had happened when seen by a roommate, before leaving on a scheduled flight to Romania to see his wife and daughter.
The Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson KC MP, characterized the attack as "brutal and calculated," highlighting the distress caused to the victim and her loved ones.
The legal system responded by increasing his sentence from an initial seven years to nearly 11 years, acknowledging the gravity of his offense.
Iercosan pleaded guilty to the rape and was first sentenced at Taunton Crown Court to a sentence of just over seven years.
The Court of Appeal later reviewed his case under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme and extended his prison term accordingly.
He was also subjected to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order and an extended license period to ensure public safety.
