Salisbury man given hospital order for attempted rape
It follows an incident on Mill Lane in Stratford sub Castle
Last updated 28th May 2024
A Salisbury man has been issued a hospital order under the Mental Health Act after admitting the attempted rape of a teenager.
29 year old William Thomas from Macklin Road also pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article in a public place.
Winchester Crown Court heard how Thomas attacked a teenage girl, as she was walking her dog in the Mill Lane area of Stratford Sub Castle on June 1st last year.
She managed to fight him off before he ran off.
In a Victim Personal Statement, his victim said:
"Since it happened my whole life has changed. In my head, my life is split into before and after the assault. It feels like everything I do is based on fear.
"I hate when my mind goes back to that day but it's so unexpected when it does. I still have moments of dissociation when I seem to lose at least a few seconds. All I want is to feel like a normal member of society without fear being the deciding factor for my every move.
"What happened to me has changed the course of my life forever and I don't see a reason why it shouldn't do the same for him."
DC Emma Fisher said:
“I would like to praise the victim in this case for having the courage and conviction to see this through. The assault was terrifying for her and to relive it numerous times has been very difficult.
"Thomas attacked her in broad daylight and has changed her life forever. I would urge anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault to come forward and tell someone. We understand it can be difficult. You might not be completely sure what happened or how to talk about it, but we have trained officers and partner organisations that are here to listen and work together to support you in any way we can."
If you want to report a sexual offence in Wiltshire, you can call 101, or 999 in an emergency.
If you don't want to go to the police, you could go to your local sexual assault referral centre (SARC).
Trained staff can give you confidential medical help and advice. They can also gather evidence for you to use at a later date, if you decide to report the assault to the police. They won't contact the police unless you want them to.