BOLTON RAPIST LOCKED UP AFTER TARGETING TEENAGE GIRLS
A rapist attacked a girl after he "plyed" her with cannabis to the point where she had a "whitey" - feeling sick from smoking drugs.He then raped her twice while she was in a vulnerable state.
After being arrested and charged for his crimes, Ashton forced the girls and their families to sit through a five-day trial at Bolton Crown Court, before he was found guilty.
He was brought back to the court to be sentenced on September 17.
Prosecuting, Robert Smith, told the court on the day of the assault of his second victim, Ashton gave her cannabis.
Mr Smith added: "He then proceeded to digitally penetrate and rape her." He then left the room before returning to rape her again.
Victim personal statements from the girls were read out.
The victim of the rape said she was "so scared" when it happened, and said she felt "if I stopped him, he would have killed me." The victim of the first offences said: "I feel like he is always there, I feel like someone is watching me, following me, it makes me scared." She added that she "keeps getting flashbacks" in her dreams "a lot" and has had to speak to a doctor about what happened.
Ashton, of Westhoughton, has 41 convictions for 108 offences, mostly related to dishonesty and breaches of court orders, as well as convictions for battery, common assault and harassment.
But Mr Smith said the defendant did not have any previous sexual offence convictions, and his last offence was in 2016.
Ashton was found guilty by the jury of seven counts - two of rape, three of assault by penetration and two of sexual assault.
Sentencing, Judge Abigail Hudson spoke about how "vulnerable" both of his victims were and how he used the cannabis to "assist the offending." She added that, because of his history of poor compliance with court orders, she saw him as being "unlikely to comply" with new orders which were set to be imposed.
She said: "I do consider that you are a dangerous offender.
A sentence with an extended license condition is necessary to protect the public from further offending." Judge Hudson sentenced him to 16 years imprisonment, with an extended license period of two years.
Ashton looked visibly distressed in the dock as she read out his sentence.
Judge Hudson also granted indefinite restraining orders against the victims, as well as a sexual harm prevention order.
She added a commendation for the two victims in the case for their courage in giving evidence "in front of complete strangers", particularly with their young age.
Judge Hudson said: "Both alluded to the fact that they were concerned whether they would be believed.
They gave their evidence in front of the jury and were believed, and I hope that gives them some comfort." She added that she hoped they can move forward with their lives and be "productive young ladies".
