JAIL FOR PORTLAND RAPIST THOMAS PASSONI
A PORTLAND rapist has been jailed for subjecting a 60-year-old woman to a 'terrifying ordeal' whilst on licence for another serious offence.Thomas Alan John Passoni, aged 22, forced his way into the victim's Weymouth home on December 21 last year and raped her.
He pleaded guilty to three counts of rape and one count of assault by penetration after he was arrested in January.
Passoni, of East Weare Road, had been on licence for burglary and assault after he attacked a 77-year-old woman in 2009.
He was sentenced to 10 years and eight months for the three counts of rape and eight years for the offence of assault by penetration, to be served concurrently.
Passoni was given an extended sentence of 15 years and eight months for public protection.
This will mean he serves a further five years on licence after his custodial sentence ends.
He will serve two thirds of his sentence behind bars before he is eligible for parole.
Lee Christmas, counsel for the defence said Passoni suffers from a mental disorder and had also been diagnosed with a personality disorder.
He said Passoni 'couldn't explain' why he had attacked the woman but that he had turned to drink and drugs and believed he was under the influence on the night of the attack.
This was discarded as 'scant mitigation' by the prosecution, who said the victim did not believe this to be the case.
Prosecuting, Jennie Rickman said: “This was quite clearly a terrifying ordeal that the victim was subjected to.
“If she sees anyone that resembles her attacker it makes her very frightened.” She added that the elderly woman could not comprehend what had happened to her or find the words to say how she felt.
Judge Roger Jarvis said: “I deal with a young man, still only 22, who has a very serious previous conviction recorded against him.
“There are, in my view details of that offence which resonate with the commission of these very serious offences for which you are to be punished.
“I have looked very carefully at the pre sentence report and I understand very well that your own background and upbringing has been very difficult.
“But the plain fact is, for whatever reason, you are now what you are and that is a person who presents a very serious risk to the public, particularly elderly women.
“It is very difficult to comprehend a more terrifying situation for your victim.” He added: “You perpetrated, as you admit, a number of the most serious sexual offences on this victim.
“Plain it is that these are offences of the utmost gravity.
“The crown believes that the victim still has not comprehended the full impact of what has happened to her.”
