SHIPLEY MAN JAILED FOR BRUTAL NIGHT ATTACK AND PAST RAPES
A convicted rapist who subjected two teenagers to a terrifying late-night ordeal in their attic flat has been jailed for six years.Bradford Crown Court heard how flatmates Sarah MacKinder, 17, and 18-year-old Amanda Hunter woke in the early hours to find angry Mark Stupka standing in their bedroom doorway brandishing an eight-inch-long bread knife.The pair were in court yesterday to see the 31-year-old plead guilty to affray and making threats to kill - unaware of his appalling record of previous convictions.After the conviction it was revealed Stupka, of Belmont Terrace, Shipley, was given a five-year prison sentence for rape in Australia in 1986.In October 1994, he was jailed for eight years at Leeds Crown Court for arson, false imprisonment, threats to kill and assault.He also had further convictions for assault and making threats to kill and was only released from prison in August 1999.Passing sentence yesterday, Judge Geoffrey Kamil said the appropriate prison term for threats to kill was four years, but that he had decided to jail Stupka for six years to protect the public.The court heard Stupka had gone to the teenagers' bedsit in January this year because he thought they had been in his flat below.As he shouted threats the tearful friends denied the claims and one hid under a duvet.
They eventually managed to calm Stupka down and he left.The two teenagers moved out the next day and were so frightened they did not contact police immediately.
When he was arrested Stupka told officers: "I know why you're here.
I just hope you understand this is the last thing I wanted."In mitigation, Lesley Dickinson said Stupka had snapped when he felt someone had been in his flat and added he expressed remorse for the distress caused to the two teenagers.Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Gillian Jew, of Eccleshill Police, praised the two friends for their courage and maturity.
She said: "Stupka is a danger, especially to women.
The victims were tremendously courageous in the way they kept talking to him and diffused a potentially violent situation.
They were also prepared to stand up in court and give evidence had Stupka not pleaded guilty, which required great bravery."
