Bristol man sentenced to 16 years for serious sexual assault offences

A Bristol man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison after two women were seriously sexually assaulted.

It follows a joint investigation by Avon and Somerset and Wiltshire Police - with 32 year old Luke Thompson from Ashley Road in St Paul's being found guilty of 5 charges in total following two separate incidents in Bristol and Swindon.

Thompson was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court yesterday (22 June) after jurors in May found him guilty of two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault.

Thompson was eight years for each offence, plus a further three years on licence.

He will also be placed on the sex offenders register and the court granted the two victims restraining orders.

One of the women was attacked in 2019 when Thompson approached her on a night out before assaulting her in his car, while the other was attacked at a home in Swindon in 2021.

'I no longer want these feelings to take over my life'

The victim of the incident in 2019 bravely came forward to police in May 2021 and she was supported by the Operation Bluestone team throughout the investigation.

In a personal statement, she said: "I have been feeling very emotional since the trial. I feel I spent the first week after the trial processing what had happened.

"It didn't feel like a relief that it was all over, as I felt the trial process retraumatising and brought all my feelings to the surface again.

"I feel disappointed that I have been feeling this way as I no longer want these feelings to take over my life and I want to move on.

"I still have to live with what I went through, and I think it will take time to process what has happened over the past couple of years."

Thompson continued his offending on Saturday 29 May 2021, when he raped another woman in a property in Swindon, Wiltshire.

Thompson was arrested shortly after, and the two cases connected.

'We hope that both victims have had the justice they so rightly deserve'

Following a lengthy investigation, he was charged with the five counts before being found guilty at a trial in May this year.

Investigating officer DC Bethan Doyle, from Avon and Somerset's Operation Bluestone team, said: "I cannot commend the victims enough for having the bravery to come forward and for supporting this prosecution through a lengthy process.

"The sentence is welcomed by the victim of our case and reflects the seriousness of what happened to her. She was extremely courageous to come forward, which left her feeling humiliated and traumatised.

"Incidents such as this have a lasting and profound impact and we hope that both victims have had the justice they so rightly deserve.

"Thompson is a dangerous individual who has taken advantage of two vulnerable women and has then refused to accept his actions and put the victims through a trial, forcing them to relive what he had done to them."

Wiltshire Police investigating officer DS Philip Nash said: “This is a lengthy sentence that treats Thompson’s crimes with the severity they deserve, and I’m pleased he will now face an extended period behind bars.

“I’d like to commend the victims for their bravery in coming forward – we appreciate how difficult it is for victims of sexual offences to speak out about what’s happened to them.

“This conviction demonstrates that Wiltshire Police will always take these kinds of offences incredibly seriously and we hope that it encourages others who have experienced sexual assault to speak out so offenders face justice for their crimes.”

Victims of rape or sexual assault, recent or non-recent, can self-refer to The Bridge.

Details of charities and organisations who are experts in supporting victims can also be found on This Is Not An Excuse.

There are also links to help and support on the Wiltshire Police website or the Avon and Somerset Police website.