Cheltenham man gets 4.5 years for violent sexual assault

CHELTENHAM MAN GETS 4.5 YEARS FOR VIOLENT SEXUAL ASSAULT

The offender, Mark Raymond Willis, aged 39 and residing on Pirton Lane in Churchdown, was convicted at Bristol Crown Court of sexually assaulting and causing actual bodily harm to a woman after a trial at Gloucester Crown Court on May 19, 2015.

The assault occurred in Queen's Road, Cheltenham, at around 2:30 a.m.

on Sunday, August 31, last year, when the victim, aged 25, was walking home alone after a night out.

Willis repeatedly punched the victim in the face and pushed her over a garden wall.

He then got on top of her, pinned her down, and told her to be quiet.

During a struggle, he attempted to pull her trousers down, but she managed to break free using her martial arts skills.

Judge Hart, who sentenced him, described the attack as “every woman’s worst nightmare” and suggested that Willis had planned and preyed on a lone female that night.

The judge also praised the victim for her bravery.

Officer DC Faye Satchwell-Bennett stated that the victim showed tremendous courage throughout the investigation and that Willis poses a significant risk to the public, especially given his previous conviction for a similar kidnapping offense against a female.

Willis received a prison sentence of four-and-a-half years plus four years on license.

The victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, expressed relief that the ordeal was over and thanked the police and officers involved for their support, hoping her case encourages others to report sexual assaults.