Rapist jailed for eight years

A TAXI driver from Warrington has been jailed for eight years after being found guilty of the rape of a woman with cerebral palsy.
The jury at Warrington Crown Court took just three and-a-half hours to find Graham Williams, (pictured) aged 41, previously of Greenings Court in Orford, guilty of rape. He had denied the offence.
The court heard the incident took place on October 14 last year when father-of- two Williams, employed as a private hire taxi driver for more than four years, picked up his 21-year- old victim in Warrington town centre at around 11pm.
He then drove the woman, a cerebral palsy sufferer which affects her movement and co-ordination, to a secluded part of a nearby park, keeping her at the location against her will and subjecting her to a serious sexual assault.
In the hours and days that followed, detectives spoke with key witnesses and the investigation traced Williams to his place of work at a Warrington taxi firm. He was arrested and later charged with rape, and remanded in custody to await trial.
A significant part of the prosecution case focused around strong forensic evidence that linked Williams to his victim.
Speaking after the hearing, Detective Inspector Debbie Dodd who heads up the Dedicated Rape Unit for Cheshire Police that conducted the investigation, said “The nature of this man’s crimes cannot be underestimated. He viciously attacked his victim, preying on her vulnerability through drink and her medical condition.
“The victim will live with this for the rest of her life. My team conducted a painstaking investigation which was quickly identified and investigated as a disability hate crime, to bring Williams to justice. The catalogue of evidence presented to the court ensured the jury were fully aware of the full circumstances of events and the traumatic and violent attack upon Williams’ vulnerable victim.”
She continued “Rape and sexual assaults are amongst the most traumatic of crimes. We want victims to be assured that we are here to help. Anyone who has been subjected to this type of crime should feel confident that they will receive the support they need from the Dedicated Rape Unit and other support agencies we work alongside.
“Foremost, any victim of a crime such as this will be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve, and any allegations will be thoroughly investigated and with the needs of the victim as our main priority.”
Inspector Dave Griffiths who heads up Warrington West Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “Graham Williams has today been found guilty of one of the most violent of crimes. With his job he held a position of trust and responsibility within our local community which he exploited in order to fuel his own sexual needs. The safety of our community is our priority and this dangerous individual will now face the consequences of his actions.”