ASHFORD SEX ATTACKER JOHN WILLIAMS GETS LIFE IMPRISONMENT
A serial sex attacker who targeted women and girls aged between 16 and 50, threatening to kill his victims if they screamed, has been sentenced to life imprisonment.John Williams, aged 47, residing on Essetford Road in Ashford, was told he must serve a minimum of seven years but may never be released.Canterbury Crown Court revealed that Williams was responsible for nearly 30 offenses dating back to 1991.Williams pleaded guilty to 10 sexual assaults, one assault bid, an indecent assault, and one theft, with 16 other theft and sex offenses taken into account.
His crimes included an attack on a 23-year-old woman while she was walking her dog near Singleton Lake on August 2, 2013.
He also assaulted a 47-year-old woman off Britannia Lane in September 2012 and a 16-year-old girl in woods near Wesley School Road in June 2012.
Other assaults occurred in Ashford and Chatham.One of Williams’s victims expressed the profound impact of the attack, sharing that it had affected her entire family and left her feeling a significant loss of confidence, making it difficult for her to sleep and trust her home’s security.
The case also involved an inquiry by the Independent Police Complaints Commission into the police investigation, which identified Williams as a suspect in October 2012.
By the time his DNA was linked to the crimes in September 2013, two additional assaults had taken place.Det Insp Richard Vickery commented, "The evidence the victims provided without doubt forced Williams to admit his guilt," expressing hope that the sentence will help bring closure to the families involved.
