Bedford rapist sentenced
Philip Mundle, 31, of no fixed address - has been sentenced to seven and a half years
A rapist has been jailed for seven and a half years after he was seen to be prowling for vulnerable women before carrying out his attack.
Philip Mundle was found guilty of rape in connection to the attack in Silver Street, Bedford in April this year.
CCTV captured 31-year-old Mundle lurking in the area, where he appeared to be on the lookout for women he considered to be vulnerable.
He followed an 18-year-old woman down an alleyway as she was on her way home from a nearby bar at around 4am.
After the attack, the victim approached the police night-time economy van and reported what had happened. Mundle was arrested on suspicion of rape near the scene shortly afterwards.
In a statement provided by the victim, she spoke about the impact the rape has had on her life.
She said: “I wake up shaking, with a racing heart and cannot breathe. I feel clammy and sweaty. After the incident, I imagined him everywhere.
“I want to forget what happened to me, but his actions mean that I can’t. It has changed my life forever.”
Today (Friday), Mundle, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Luton Crown Court to seven years and six months. Back in October, he was found guilty of one count of rape.
He was also handed a sentence of one month for assaulting an emergency service worker.
Detective Constable Philippa McCarthy from Bedfordshire Police’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) team said: “Mundle deliberately preyed on someone he considered to be a vulnerable woman. His attack was brazen and opportunistic.
“The victim in this case has showed enormous courage to come forward and speak to officers immediately and throughout the case, to help ensure Mundle was brought to justice for his crimes.
“Women deserve to feel safe in public spaces and should not have to worry. Predators like Mundle who act in this kind of appalling way will be relentlessly pursued by our officers and put where they deserve to be – behind bars.”
Bedfordshire Police has rolled out Project Firefly, which aims to ensure women don’t have to face unwanted and unacceptable behaviour in things like bars and clubs.
The project includes specialist training for police officers who go out on patrol as well as licensed premises, an increased police presence and a social media campaign aimed at challenging perpetrators of male violence and abuse.
As part of the project, a number of premises across the county have received training on how to spot predators and tools to report and support, as part of helping people feel safe.
For more information or to report incidents please visit the force’s male violence against women and girls page.