BILLERICAY RAPIST HARRISON ACKLAND JAILED FOR 18 YEARS
A man from south Essex, known for a pattern of violence over ten years, has received an 18-year prison sentence after a court heard about his repeated assaults on women.At Basildon Crown Court, Judge Samantha Cohen told Harrison Ackland, 28, of Morris Avenue, Billericay, that there was “a disturbing link in your mind between violence and sex.” Ackland was found guilty of six counts of rape, along with charges of strangulation, suffocation, causing actual bodily harm, and controlling or coercive behavior.
The judge described him as “a violent and abusive bully,” emphasizing that Ackland prioritized his sexual urges over his partner’s feelings.
The court heard that his partner once sought medical help after he strangled her so severely her eye became bloodshot, and that he had pulled a knife on her during the relationship.
The victim read aloud an impact statement expressing her anger at having been given numerous chances to be hurt again, saying she had been living in survival mode.
She recounted the terrifying moments when Ackland’s eyes seemed to turn black with rage and shared that she had spent months on high doses of antidepressants.
“I will never be the same person I was,” she wrote, “too much damage has been done.” Ackland sat quietly via a prison video link, showing little emotion and occasionally yawning or checking his watch.
The victim expressed doubt about his remorse, believing he was not genuinely sorry or capable of long-term rehabilitation.
The judge highlighted Ackland’s history of violence, noting that he had shown “entitled violence” toward partners over nearly a decade, including suffocation, assault, and rape.
Despite denying recent sexual offenses, Ackland’s probation pre-sentence report indicated he posed a high risk of harm.
Concluding her sentencing, Judge Cohen declared that Ackland would serve 18 years, with six more months on extended licence, and that he would be ineligible for parole until at least 12 years had passed, subject to safety assessments.
Upon release, he will be enjoined by a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order, requiring him to inform police of any future intimate relationships, to protect potential future partners."
