Swansea man sentenced to 16 years for double sex attack

20 year old Leo Payne will also remain on the sex offenders register for life

Swansea Crown Court
Author: Tom PreecePublished 23rd Sep 2024

A man who attacked two women in Swansea city centre has been sentenced to 16 years at Swansea Crown Court.

Leo Payne, 20, attacked two women in the city centre before later attacking a man who intervened by hitting him on the head with a wine bottle.

Prosecutor Carina Hughes said Payne was roaming the streets of Swansea looking for "lone females" in the early hours of June 23 this year.

CCTV captured Payne "with his distinctive colourful top" pass a woman turn to stare at her, then change his direction to follow her.

When he caught up with her he told her along the lines of "come with me" or "you’re coming with me."

About 40 minutes later, Payne attacked a second woman who was making her way from the bus station with luggage.

He was fought off by the victim who shouted for help from two men walking by.

She had cut lips, knees and bruising to her elbows and back.

In a victim impact statement, the women - who can't be identified for legal reasons - said the attack has had a "massive" impact on them and are paranoid that someone is following them when they're out alone.

One woman said that she gets "very anxious going out" in the day on her own and no longer feels "safe" in the city.

She added that she is "struggling to sleep" and "worried something like this will happen again" to her.

The other woman, who is a student at the university, said she feels "terrified", adding: "I lost my sense of security in the place that I live."

She has since had to move address, "lost trust" in people, and struggling with her university work.

She added that she would like to "express my thanks to them all" who helped her that day.

The court heard that a driving female officer saw Payne an hour and a half later - where CCTV captured him with his trousers down and masturbating.

She reported him and later was able to identify him on CCTV after being assigned the two sexual assault incidents that occurred.

Payne also followed a third woman and made sexual gestures to a fourth which he would have “attempted to go further with” if a man hadn’t interfered.

Good Samaritan Filip Nowak heard a woman say "please no" and "stop" before seeing Payne and challenging him.

Payne then hit him multiple times with a wine bottle - with one of the blows hitting Mr Nowak on the head causing injury.

The female was identified by the force but wished to not make a statement on the incident.

Police later arrested Payne at an address who had "scratches and marks to his face and neck" and later said "no comment" through his interview.

Payne, of Swansea, pleaded guilty to two attempted rapes, sexual assault by penetration, exposure and unlawful wounding.

Hashim Salmman, defending, said Payne's "level of maturity is less than his chronological age" and it is believed that he has Autism and ADHD.

Judge Paul Thomas KC told Payne "you targeted a number of lone and therefore vulnerable women" in the middle of the city centre.

He added that despite being fought off twice, Payne continued "to prowl the city" in "broad daylight."

Judge Thomas told Payne that he had "a profound and long lasting effect" on the victims which will take them a long time to 'fully recover from the horrendous ordeal."

Payne has not given a reason for the attacks and Judge Thomas said "it's not a risk I'm willing to take" in Payne reoffending - and wants to "protect women from you in the future."

Leo Payne was jailed for 16 years and will be on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.

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