2006: FORMER SOLDIER JAILED FOR LIFE AFTER TERRIFYING RAPE OF A WOMAN IN BOLTON
2006: A former paratrooper was convicted of kidnapping and raping a woman after tying up her partner and locking him in a garden shed.Allan Baxter's victims awoke to find him standing beside their bed, wielding a large kitchen knife.
He restrained and gagged the man before assaulting the woman, breaking her jaw with a punch.
Baxter then raped her twice, threatening her with a knife throughout.
On the day of the attack, Baxter, aged 20 and residing in Vale Avenue, Stoneclough, received a life sentence at Bolton Crown Court.
The judge described him as a danger to women and mandated a minimum jail term of six years before parole eligibility.
The court was told the incident occurred early in the morning, around 2:15 am, when the couple, both in their 20s, were woken by a burglar alarm at the woman's home in Bolton.
Prosecutor Ann Hughes explained Baxter entered the room brandishing a large kitchen knife, instructing the man to stay put.
He forcibly removed the woman from the bed while she was unclothed and took her downstairs, threatening to kill her if the man alerted anyone.
Baxter asked for sleeping tablets to knock out the man but instead tried to force the woman to strangle him.
Subsequently, he took her downstairs again, punched her, and caused her jaw injury.
He compelled her to tape her partner's wrists, knees, elbows, and ankles, then blindfolded him.
Baxter assaulted the woman again before forcing her to lead her partner to a shed, where he tied him up with rope and stuffed socks into his mouth.
Baxter then brought the woman back upstairs and raped her twice at knifepoint, issuing death threats.
The hostage was returned to the house, restrained, and threatened with death if he called the police.
Baxter then forced the woman to drive him to Barton Bridge, where he threatened to leap into the river.
After exiting her vehicle, she drove home, where police were taking her partner's statement—he had managed to escape and alert authorities.
Mrs.
Hughes stated that both victims believed they would die, as Baxter held one of three large knives during the assault and repeatedly threatened to kill them.
Baxter admitted to two counts of rape, false imprisonment, grievous bodily harm, and possession of an offensive weapon.
Judge Timothy Clayson sentenced Baxter, condemning his blatant disregard for his victims' safety and warning that he posed an ongoing risk to women.
Baxter was ordered to register as a sex offender upon release and to remain on licence for life.
