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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/feb/16/charlie-pearce-jailed-for-life-rape-hit-woman-with-paving-slab-leicester
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Teen who raped woman and hit her with paving slab jailed for life | Teen who raped woman and hit her with paving slab jailed for life |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Charlie Pearce, 17, to serve at least 11 years for attack of ‘animalistic savagery’ in Leicester | Charlie Pearce, 17, to serve at least 11 years for attack of ‘animalistic savagery’ in Leicester |
Press Association | Press Association |
Fri 16 Feb 2018 16.56 GMT | Fri 16 Feb 2018 16.56 GMT |
First published on Fri 16 Feb 2018 16.14 GMT | First published on Fri 16 Feb 2018 16.14 GMT |
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An “exceptionally dangerous” teenage rapist who bludgeoned a woman with a paving slab and left her for dead in an act of “animalistic savagery” has been locked up for life. | An “exceptionally dangerous” teenage rapist who bludgeoned a woman with a paving slab and left her for dead in an act of “animalistic savagery” has been locked up for life. |
Charlie Pearce carried out the attack on the woman on his 17th birthday in July, having researched rape online. | Charlie Pearce carried out the attack on the woman on his 17th birthday in July, having researched rape online. |
He had denied meaning to kill the woman but admitted two counts of rape, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and stealing her handbag. | He had denied meaning to kill the woman but admitted two counts of rape, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and stealing her handbag. |
After a trial at Leicester crown court, he was found guilty of attempted murder, having left his victim with her life “hanging by a thread”. | |
Sentencing Pearce to life with a minimum term of 11 years at the Old Bailey, Mr Justice Haddon-Cave said Pearce was “exceptionally dangerous” and attacked the woman with “animalistic savagery”. | Sentencing Pearce to life with a minimum term of 11 years at the Old Bailey, Mr Justice Haddon-Cave said Pearce was “exceptionally dangerous” and attacked the woman with “animalistic savagery”. |
The judge said Pearce had carried out a “predatory attack” with a sexual or sadistic nature and had “intended to silence the victim for ever”. | |
“The defendant set out that evening to mark his 17th birthday to find a woman to attack and violently rape. He can be seen on CCTV circling the park and hunting [the victim] down as she walked through the park. The attack itself was of animalistic savagery. The offending was exceptionally serious.” | “The defendant set out that evening to mark his 17th birthday to find a woman to attack and violently rape. He can be seen on CCTV circling the park and hunting [the victim] down as she walked through the park. The attack itself was of animalistic savagery. The offending was exceptionally serious.” |
The court heard Pearce dragged the victim into undergrowth in Leicester’s Victoria Park and hit her over the head with a concrete slab. | |
The start of his attack was witnessed by youths in the park who called police, but a police patrol was unable to find anything because of a lack of a precise location, the court heard. | |
About an hour later a passing cyclist spotted a pool of fresh blood and a hair clip on the ground. The judge said she showed great bravery in going into the bushes to investigate and comfort the victim before emergency services arrived. | |
The victim, who was in her 20s, was rushed to hospital with horrific head injuries. The next day police circulated a “remarkably clear” CCTV image of Pearce running towards her holding the slab. | |
His family recognised him and contacted police. The victim awoke from a coma weeks later, unaware of what had happened. | |
As Pearce, of Clarendon Park, Leicester, appeared in court to be sentenced, she gave an emotional statement about the mental and physical scars. “I do not remember screaming when I was assaulted, though I am aware that screams were reported to the police by various people that night,” she said. | |
“My screams did not stop my attacker from causing me further harm, and nor did they help me be found so I could receive medical care I needed. Knowing that my screams did not change anything for me that night continues to trouble me.” | |
In mitigation, Phillip Bradley QC said: “She was the innocent victim of violence that was as gratuitous as it was unprovoked.” | In mitigation, Phillip Bradley QC said: “She was the innocent victim of violence that was as gratuitous as it was unprovoked.” |
He said Pearce accepted he was “entirely responsible” for that violence. | He said Pearce accepted he was “entirely responsible” for that violence. |
Mr Justice Haddon-Cave handed Pearce seven-and-a-half years’ custody for the rapes, to run concurrently to his life sentence with no separate penalty for the other charges. | |
Crime | Crime |
Leicester | Leicester |
Rape and sexual assault | Rape and sexual assault |
news | news |
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