WALLSEND MAN SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS FOR VIOLENT SEXUAL ASSAULT AND ASSAULT WITH KNIVES
A man named Liam Maughan, aged 38 and a resident of Marine Avenue in Wallsend, received a 17-year prison term after being convicted of multiple serious violent and sexual offenses against a vulnerable woman.Court proceedings revealed that Maughan executed a harrowing attack involving restraint, strangulation until unconsciousness, and sexual assault.
Witnesses observed him leaning over the woman once she revived and then whipping her with a sturdy skipping rope.
Throughout the assault, the victim was heard crying out, begging him to stop, while Maughan made threats with knives and claimed he would sever her limbs.
She was eventually able to escape by using the bathroom and climbing out of a window.
Maughan initially defended his actions, insisting the sexual activities were consensual and that the woman enjoyed them, but later expressed shame and admitted misconduct.
He pleaded guilty to various charges, including two of assault by penetration, threatening to kill, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and intentional strangulation.
The court sentenced him to 17 years in prison and imposed a lifetime ban on contact with the victim.
Investigators from Northumbria Police relied on forensic evidence and the victim’s account to build a strong case.
Officers praised the victim for her courage in coming forward.
Prosecutor Charlotte Dennison highlighted, 'The violent sexual assault inflicted on a vulnerable woman by Maughan was extremely frightening.
The attack involved choking, threats with knives, and prolonged violence.
The sentence aims to provide justice and some peace for the victim.' Detective Constable Lucy Joyce stated, 'Maughan exploited this woman, subjecting her to brutal physical and sexual abuse.
His conviction should serve as a warning that consent is not assumed, and support remains available for victims.' The woman appeared visibly shaken following the incident, and authorities continue to urge anyone suffering similar abuse to report it through the proper channels.
