DAD CARRIED OUT SEX ASSAULT TO 'HUMILIATE AND TRAUMATISE' VICTIM
A dad sexually assaulted a woman to "humiliate and traumatise" her, a court has heard.Ben Beattie, 51, carried out the assault in the winter about 10 years ago.
Beattie, of Falmouth, appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence today (Thursday, January 15), having been found guilty by a jury of one count of assault by penetration.
Prosecuting the case, Herc Ashworth told how difficult it had been for the complainant to come forward and report what had happened.
“She felt vulnerable, isolated and stressed,” and was having “panic attacks”, he said.
Defending Beattie, Jason Beal said there were “significant” mitigating factors in the case, including the defendant’s age and “positive character”.
He said: “He has no previous relevant convictions, he is a man who has a very positive work ethic and he has worked all his life.” He added that he has received “considerable punishment” going through the court process and will continue to do so going forward.
Sentencing, His Honour Judge Simon Carr said Beattie carried out his assault to show he was “in control” adding to do something “so personal and unwanted” was “particularly cruel and manipulative”.
“It was done to humiliate and traumatise as well as sexually abuse,” the judge said, noting the complainant was particularly vulnerable and unable to go to police for years.
He said the victim “froze” during the assault and a jury “was perfectly clear it was not consensual”.
He added a report via the courts shows “no idea of remorse” from Beattie for what he did and “paragraph after paragraph” paints him as the victim.
“Nothing,” Judge Carr said, “could be further from the truth”.
Beattie was sentenced to five years in prison and will remain on the sex offender register indefinitely.
He was handed a ten years restraining order forbidding him from contacting the complainant.
