2006: BOLTON OFFENDER JAILED FOR RAPE
2006: Today, a man was sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl at a nightclub in Bolton town centre.Christopher Williams, aged 37, received his sentence at Bolton Crown Court following a conviction based on DNA evidence that linked him to the crime.
The incident took place when Williams followed the girl into the toilets at the Tiger Feet club located in Bradshawgate.
The victim, who is now 18, is not named publicly due to legal restrictions but stated that the conviction provides her with a sense of safety and an opportunity to move on with her life.
The court heard that Williams, from The Crescent in Westhoughton, met the girl on the dance floor during her first night out in the town on February 21, 2004.
She had been drinking alcohol, including spirits and alcopops, and agreed to return to the toilets; he then followed her into a cubicle, where he assaulted her.
Williams then left the club afterwards.
The girl was found by friends approximately 20 minutes later, crying and partially undressed, and reported the assault to the police.
A police investigation led to multiple witness statements, culminating in a crucial breakthrough last September when Williams was detained after a domestic argument with his partner, Susan Green, the mother of his two children.
His DNA was collected during this arrest and matched the sample obtained from the victim.
In his defense, Williams indicated he did not intend to commit rape, believing that their interaction had been consensual because they had been dancing together.
He was also mandated to register as a sex offender.
During sentencing, Judge William Morris emphasized that the girl had clearly expressed her unwillingness, and that Williams' actions caused her significant distress and emotional pain.
