2006; LONER JAILED AFTER SEX ATTACKS
A “loner” who preyed on women was back behind bars last night after carrying out a series of “terrifying” assaults in a Norfolk town.Scott Ashley Stevenson committed a string of late night attacks on solitary women in Thetford, eight months after being released from prison for rape conviction, Norwich Crown Court heard.
The 25-year-old, of Kimm's Belt, Thetford, was yesterday told that he was a "danger" to the public and would serve a minimum of six years in jail.
He admitted one count of attempted rape and three counts of assaulting women with intent to commit sexual offences between March 18 and April 29 this year.
Prosecution barrister Greg Perrins told the court that Stevenson was released from custody in August 2005 after serving the full term of a five- year sentence for raping a 22-year-old woman in Thetford, in July 2000.
He was on the sex offenders' register, but not on licence at the time of the most recent attacks.
The first happened at about 12.45am on March 18 when a 25-year-old walking along Vicarage Road was grabbed by the neck and repeatedly punched to the back of the head.
She was eventually released after the sight of a passing police car prompted Stevenson to flee.
His next victim was a 48-year-old woman, who was assaulted at 1am on April 2 in Green Lane.
She was grabbed from behind and dragged to a grassed area, but her attacker ran off when she caught a glimpse of his face.
The attempted rape, which involved a 15-year-old girl, happened at 12.30am on April 29 on an area between Ripon Way and St Albans Way.
The teenage victim was dragged to the ground and sexually assaulted before a passer-by came to her aid.
A short while later, Stevenson attempted an attack on a 19-year-old woman in the same area, but was again thwarted after her screams alerted residents, said Mr Perrins.
Police patrols were stepped up on Thetford's Abbey Estate following the assaults and Stevenson was arrested on May 7 after an officer saw him following a woman and acting suspiciously on Bury Road, Thetford.
Sentencing him to a minimum of six years in custody, Judge Alastair Darroch, said: "This is a series of terrifying attacks on women at night and committed by someone with a previous conviction for rape."
