Sex predator put behind bars

7:00pm Monday 17th November 2008

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A sexual predator was yesterday told he would spend “many, many years” in jail after raping and attacking a 53-year-old woman he met in an Abingdon nightclub.

John Westland, 19, of Fairfield Place, Abingdon, admitted rape and grievous bodily harm. He was jailed indefinitely for the protection of the public.

Westland, who has previous convictions for sexual assault, assault and indecent exposure — some dating back to when he was 15 — was told he would serve at least three years and three months in jail before being considered for parole.

He was given a three-year sentence for causing grievous bodily harm, to run concurrently.

Judge Patrick Eccles said Westland had carried out a “vicious sexual attack” in August.

He said: “You are a predatory male and unable to control the sexual urges you have for women of a variety of ages, but in particular older woman.

“You are somebody who is, and should be treated as, a dangerous offender on the grounds there is significant risk of your committing offences in the future.

“You will not be eligible for release into the community until the parole board is satisfied you no longer provide a risk of violence and sexual offending — and it may be many, many years before that conclusion is reached.”

The court heard Westland met the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in Strattons Nightclub in Ock Street, and attacked her in a cul de sac in Abingdon in the early hours of August 17.

He forced her to perform oral sex on him before punching her in the face, knocking a tooth out and fracturing her jaw so severely she had to have a metal plate inserted.

When Westland was arrested by police later the same day he had blood on his clothing.

He told officers he was drunk, had taken cocaine and could not remember what happened.

Prosecutor Daniel Fugallo said: “The victim’s personal statement describes not just physical, but prolonged emotional distress and anxiety as a result of the incident.”

David Hislop, defending, told the court Westland and the victim had been kissing and hugging on the dance floor before leaving together and had consensual sex together prior to the attack.

But Judge Eccles said that provided “little mitigation”.

The court heard Westland had admitted three counts of sexual assault with seven further taken into consideration in 2004. Some of the women he attacked were in their 80s and 90s.

He was also jailed by a court in Hamburg, Germany, in 2007 after repeatedly hitting a young woman with a branch, causing serious injuries. He was released in January 2008.

Westland will remain on licence for the rest of his life.