BURGLAR WHO SEXUALLY ASSAULTED HIS VICTIM IS SENT TO JAIL BY APPEAL JUDGES
A sick burglar who broke into a young teacher’s home and sexually assaulted her as she lay in bed has been jailed for two and a half years after appeal court judges ruled that the community sentence he received was “unduly lenient.” Joshua Sweet, 20, of Alwold Road, Weoley Castle, was released in April and given a three-year community order on the account of an early plea and having spent two months in jail while awaiting his court appearance.In spite of subjecting his victim to a horrific experience which left her ‘petrified’ and afraid to go out, Sweet escaped a prison term.
Judge Mary Stacey, who handed him the sentence at Birmingham Crown Court, described the incident as “shocking” and said the 24-year-old woman had been “scarred psychologically” by her experience.
However in freeing Sweet she said she had taken into account the fact that he had already spent two months in custody and had entered an early guilty plea.
She sentenced him to a three-year Community Order with a sex offender group programme requirement, a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement, and 150 days unpaid work requirement.
A restraining order was also made for a period of two years.
But the Attorney General referred the case to The Court of Appeal, which has now ruled the punishment to be unduly lenient and has raised it to a prison sentence.
Welcoming the ruling today, the Solicitor General, Robert Buckland QC MP said: “Joshua Sweet sexually attacked a woman during a burglary in her home, a place she was entitled to feel safe.
“Sexual offences committed by a burglar have a huge impact on the victim and are deeply distressing for all those who may also live in the house.
“The Court of Appeal’s decision today reflects the serious nature of these offences and I am pleased that they have raised this sentence to two and a half years.”
