Man sleeping rough in Hale drags woman into tent
Her ordeal lasted several hours
A man who was sleeping rough in woodland in Hale has been jailed after he dragged a woman into his tent and raped her.
The court heard how on Sunday 15 October 2017 36-year-old Daniel Woolf approached the victim - who is in her 30s - at around 1am at Altrincham train station.
Woolf led her away from the station before dragging her in to a tent which was in a wooded area off South Downs Drive in Hale.
The woman tried to run away but he threw her in to a bush before punching and kicking her until she went back in to the tent.
Woolf then pushed her to the floor and raped her during the ordeal which lasted several hours.
She managed to flee to a nearby shop where she raised the alarm.
Police were immediately called and Woolf was arrested shortly after.
He was previously jailed in July 2015 and given a seven year sex offenders notice after being convicted of sexual assault.
He was sentenced to 19 years today, Thursday 29 March 2018, at Minshull Street Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of rape, false imprisonment and assault.
Woolf pleaded guilty to breaching a sex offender notification at a previous hearing.
Detective Constable Helen Bagnall, of GMP’s Trafford borough, said: “The woman was obviously terrified when Woolf dragged her in to a tent and raped her, what she has been through is horrendous.
“She was extremely brave managing to alert a shop worker and I want to thank them in turn for contacting us so we could apprehend Woolf.
“He preyed on the fact the woman didn’t really know the area and used that to his advantage to inflict his horrific assault where not only did he rape her, but he held her in a tent for hours.
“Woolf is now absolutely where he deserves to be with plenty of time to consider the disgusting and predatory actions that have left him locked away behind bars.”
Greater Manchester is nationally recognised as a model of good practice in terms of support services available to victims.
- If you or someone you know has been raped or sexually assaulted, we encourage you not to suffer in silence and report it to the police, or a support agency so you can get the help and support available.
- You can call Greater Manchester Police on 101, or alternatively people can refer themselves to St Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre on 0161 276 6515, whether or not you want make a police report.
- St Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Manchester provides a comprehensive and coordinated forensic, counselling and medical aftercare service to anyone in Greater Manchester who has experienced rape or sexual assault. Services are available on a 24-hour basis and people can access them via Greater Manchester Police, or as a self-referral.
- Manchester Rape Crisis is a confidential support service run by women for women and girls who have been raped or sexually abused. Confidential helpline: 0161 273 4500. Black and Minority Ethnic helpline: 0161 273 4514.
- Survivors Manchester offers support and counselling for adult male survivors of sexual abuse and rape, regardless of when the event happened. Contact 07919 246 267.