DAVID CHARMAN FROM MAYBURY SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS FOR DATE RAPE IN WOKING AND POOL ROAD

In a case that has shocked the local community, David Charman, a 23-year-old man from Maybury, was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday after being convicted of a serious sexual assault that took place in Woking. The incident, which occurred on August 13 of the previous year, involved the assault of a 17-year-old girl who was reportedly intoxicated and unable to give consent at the time.

Charman, who resides on Beaufort Road in Maybury, was found guilty of forcing himself upon the young woman following a night out at a local pub, the Goldsworth Arms. According to court records, the victim had no memory of the assault itself, only waking up later on an industrial estate located in nearby Poole Road. She initially reported feeling soreness in her groin and noticed bruises on her thighs, prompting her to seek medical assistance and report the incident to police.

Forensic examinations revealed traces of Charman’s semen on her underwear, along with blood. However, medical swabs did not confirm that Charman had penetrated her, complicating the forensic evidence. The prosecution argued that Charman’s own admission played a crucial role in his conviction. During police interviews, he claimed to have had consensual sex with the girl on four previous occasions, which led to his being charged with rape. His defense team, led by Brian Stork, emphasized that without Charman’s own confession, the charges might not have been pursued as they were.

There was no evidence to suggest that a date rape drug had been used, but prosecutor Caroline Carberry pointed out that the victim was incapacitated, making her incapable of giving valid consent, regardless of whether drugs were involved. Charman, who is also a father to a one-year-old son, maintained that the sexual encounters were consensual, including an incident behind a Wetherspoon’s pub in Woking, where he claimed to have initiated sex after asking for her consent.

Despite his claims, a jury composed of nine women and three men found him guilty of rape on July 7 by an 11 to one majority verdict. Charman had denied the charges throughout the trial. The court heard that the victim was a virgin at the time of the assault and that her condition at the pub was visibly impaired, with her describing the room as spinning and her vision blurry, which should have been evident to Charman.

Judge Peter Rook QC sentenced Charman to five years in prison, emphasizing the gravity of the offense. He stated, “This was a very serious offence. The victim quite clearly did not have the capacity to consent. She described how, in the public house, the room was spinning and her vision was blurry. It must have been obvious to you that she was in no position to consent. She was a virgin and you knew that she was a virgin. You knew the limits of the sexual activity that she would have agreed to.”

Charman’s defense argued that his actions were out of character, describing him as a decent, responsible, and honest young man who had been misjudged. The court was told that he had previously engaged in consensual sex with the victim, including an incident behind a Wetherspoon’s pub in Woking, which he claimed was initiated by him with her consent.

Under current Home Office guidelines, Charman will be eligible for release on licence after serving half of his sentence. However, he will remain on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely. The judge also ordered that Charman must have no contact with the victim and stay outside an exclusion zone in Woking to prevent any future encounters that could cause further distress.