PERVERTED STREET SEX ATTACKER WITH 'DISTORTED VIEW OF WOMEN' HANDED EXTENDED JAIL SENTENCE
A "dangerous" sex attacker has been caged by a judge who branded him a significant risk of very serious harm to women.Jack Bell, 22, left two victims with lasting psychological impacts after targeting them as they walked alone in Northallerton.
He later went on to be convicted for two stalking offences on lone women in Hartlepool.
At a sentencing hearing on Tuesday for the two sexual assaults, the Teesside Crown Court judge described Bell as a "dangerous" offender.
He said Bell had an "utterly distorted view of women" and his "sexual entitlement" over them.
The first attack when Bell targeted a woman in Northallerton.
She heard heavy footsteps behind her and moved to the side of the pavement to allow the person to pass by.
Bell grabbed her between the legs before running off.
While under investigation for this attack, Bell then carried out the second sex assault.
The victim had seen the defendant following her the day prior to the assault, said Paul Cleasby, prosecuting.
"The following evening, she was again walking in Northallerton and again noticed the defendant who appeared to be hanging around.
Again he followed her and she became increasingly concerned as she could hear his footsteps approaching her from behind." When she headed into an alleyway, Bell tried to engage in conversation before launching the sexual attack.
As she tried to push him off her, Bell attempted to put her into a headlock and force her to the ground.
He grabbed her around the throat and again sexually assaulted her.
He then tried to push her to the floor again before reaching into his coat, which left the victim fearing he was going to take out a weapon, the court heard.
"The defendant then looked at her, smiled at her then spat on the floor," said Mr Cleasby.
"The defendant then said to his victim, 'you f**king weirdo' before he ran from the scene." In a statement, the first victim said coming to terms with what had happened to her was "awful" and, years on, is still traumatising.
It continues to affect her mental health and relationships, she said, and has "completely changed me as a person".
"He took what he wanted, without permission, and I now have to deal with the repercussions on my self-worth and confidence all because of his actions," she said.
The second victim said she has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety.
In her statement, she said: "My mental health is at its absolute lowest.
I have flashbacks and see his face when I'm trying to sleep.
When I look back to that day I remember thinking he was going to kill me.
It's ruined my life.
I don't know if I will ever be the same again." The court heard, since the second offence, Bell had been convicted, and served 16 weeks in prison, for two offences of stalking after he followed lone females in Hartlepool.
Bell, of Balmoral Road, Rossmere, in Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault.
Jonathan Walker, mitigating, said Bell was "deeply sorry for what he's done." He said: "There is a level of remorse which is exhibited by an immature young man who is trying to come to terms with the fact he has character traits which are really very concerning." Judge Jonathan Carroll said he considered Bell to be a dangerous offender and met the criteria for an extended, determinate sentence.
He told Bell: "There are elements of this case which are deeply concerning and deeply worrying.
What appears to be developing in your life is a pattern of stalking lone women at any time of the day or night that your are able to identify, with a view to sexual offending." Regarding the first attack, he said the victim was "still living and reliving that moment over and over again." On the second attack, he said: "Having done it once and having been arrested on it...
you clearly had developed a taste for this behaviour." "Here is one of the things that is particularly worrying.
Having realised you had gone as far as you were going to succeed, you smiled at her, spat on the ground and called HER a f***ing weirdo." "It is hard to imagine, in such simple words, a greater display of somebody who has, at this time in your life, an utterly distorted view of women and your sexual entitlement over them." He said unless Bell altered his attitudes towards women, "you are and are likely to remain for the foreseeable future, a very significant risk of very serious harm." He handed him an extended sentence - four years in prison and two years on extended licence.
Bell was also made the subject of an indefinite restraining order.
