Man guilty of raping 11-year-old on Portland

A man has been found guilty of raping an 11-year-old girl on Portland.

James Connell Loveman, aged 23 and of Portland, was convicted of charges of rape and assault by penetration on Friday 18 September 2020 following a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court. He had previously admitted an offence of sexual assault of a female aged under 13.

Loveman will return to be sentenced on a date to be fixed.

The victim, who was 11 at the time of the incident, was with her friend – who was 14 – on the night of Friday 30 August 2019. The girls spent the evening walking around Portland and at around 1.30am on Saturday 31 August 2019 they were in the area of Easton Square when they met a man who was sitting on a bicycle.

They told the defendant their ages and he asked if they wanted to go with them to an old derelict windmill to the south of Park Road. Loveman claimed he was 15 but nearly 16, although the girls both believed he looked older.

The three of them chatted at the windmill and the victim typed her Snapchat and Instagram user names into the defendant’s phone.

Loveman challenged them to play dares and while the older girl was outside of the windmill he sexually assaulted the 11-year-old victim.

Loveman later asked the 14-year-old girl to go outside again and then raped the victim before riding off on his bike in the direction of Weston.

The girls contacted police and an investigation was launched, led by detectives from the Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT).

A DNA profile of the offender was obtained from the victim’s clothing and was found to be a match for the defendant.

He was arrested on Saturday 7 September 2019.

A subsequent examination of Loveman’s mobile phone also showed the Instagram account details of the victim had been stored on it.

Detective Inspector Wayne Seymour, of MCIT, said:

“James Loveman took his young victim to an isolated location late at night before subjecting her to a horrific sexual assault.

“I would like to praise the victim for the bravery she has shown throughout the investigation and in supporting the trial process, helping to secure the conviction of Loveman for these despicable crimes.

“I hope her courage encourages anyone else who is unfortunate enough to be the victim of offences of this nature to have the confidence to come forward in the knowledge that we will do all we can to identify the culprit and ensure they face justice for their actions.”