PAUL CATTERRALL FROM DEANE SENTENCED AFTER ALLEYWAY SEX ATTACK IN BOLTON

In April 2015, a disturbing case unfolded involving Paul Catterall, a man from Deane in Bolton, Greater Manchester, who was found guilty of a heinous sexual assault committed in an alleyway in Bolton. The incident, which took place in the early hours of July 31, last year, shocked the local community and drew significant attention from law enforcement and the courts.

According to court reports, Catterall, aged 24 at the time, was convicted of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman after a night out at Bolton's 'En Vogue' nightclub. The assault occurred as the victim was walking home with Catterall, who approached her outside the nightclub around 4 a.m. and then accompanied her as they moved through the town center. When they reached an alley behind Bolton’s 'Founders Arms' pub, Catterall attempted to kiss her. The woman rejected his advances and tried to walk away, but Catterall, under the influence of cocaine and alcohol, responded violently.

He pulled her back by her hair, ripping out some of her hair extensions, and then forcibly pinned her down. During this assault, he removed her clothing and sexually assaulted her. The victim, in a state of distress and fear, managed to break free and fled the scene, naked and screaming, into the alleyway. Her ordeal left her deeply traumatized, and she has since been unable to maintain her social connections, avoiding going out altogether. She also experienced severe emotional distress, including a period of not eating or drinking, which resulted in a hospital stay.

Prosecutor Iain Simpkin detailed the attack, emphasizing the victim’s suffering. He read from her victim impact statement, where she described her feelings of dirtiness and shame, recounting how she initially tried to cleanse herself in the bath, scrubbing so hard that she bled. She expressed that her life had been shattered by the assault, feeling like a prisoner within her own home.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Catterall had a prior conviction for a sexual assault in 2009, when he pushed a woman at a bus station and inappropriately touched her. This history added weight to the seriousness of his latest offense.

Initially, Catterall pleaded guilty to the sexual assault, claiming that he and the victim had shared a mutual kiss before the attack, a statement later proven false. He also faced charges of attempted rape and sexual assault without penetration, which were ordered to lie on file.

In his defense, Nicola Gatto, representing Catterall, described him as a drug and alcohol addict suffering from depression, partly due to problems in his two-and-a-half-year relationship. She argued that he had shown remorse and victim empathy, asserting that he had desisted from further offending after coming to his senses.

Judge Timothy Stead sentenced Catterall to a total of four years and eight months in prison, reducing the original sentence by one-third due to his early guilty plea. However, the judge also extended the sentence by an additional three years, emphasizing the severity of the crime and the vulnerability of the victim. The judge highlighted that the victim was significantly intoxicated at the time, but made it clear that she bore no blame for what happened, condemning Catterall’s actions as entirely his own.

Following the sentencing, the victim’s family, who requested anonymity for legal reasons, expressed their dissatisfaction with the length of the sentence. One family member stated, “Despite his cancer, we still believe his sentence was not long enough.” An angry friend of the family added, “It’s fitting that he has now had his testicles removed. He is a brute and a monster.”

In a grim turn of events, medical reports revealed that while in custody, Catterall was diagnosed with testicular cancer and was subsequently required to undergo amputation of his testicles. This medical intervention means he will serve his prison sentence without the ability to reproduce, a fact that has added a layer of grim irony to his punishment.