Spennymoor park rapist carried out 'disturbing and depraved' attack

In a chance meeting, 21-year-old Jamie Thomas Mason, who was under the influence of both drink and drugs, waylaid the young woman and dragged her into a public park, where he raped her several times as well as punching and threatening to harm both her and her family.

Durham Crown Court heard that in a 45-minute-long ordeal, on the morning of Saturday October 22, last year, the woman went along with Mason’s degrading demands in fear of what he may do if she resisted.

During the prolonged incident in Spennymoor’s Victoria Jubilee Park, he broke her nose, knocked off her glasses and left her heavily bloodied, with a swollen black eye.

Read more: County Durham man admits rapes in Spennymoor's Victoria Jubilee Park

Mason was said to have taken a photograph of her in her blood-stained, dishevelled and distressed condition, using his girlfriend’s mobile phone, telling his victim he would send the picture to his family.

But the court was told by the time of his arrest, later that day, he had deleted the image.

Jonathan Walker, prosecuting, said the woman had run past Mason on her jogging route, on Villiers Street, near to the park, at about 6.50am.

She then heard someone approaching from behind asking where the town was, as a ruse.

As she was beginning to explain that he was heading in the wrong direction, he grabbed her and told her she was, “coming with me”, leading her into the park.

Mr Walker told the court that Mason explained he was going to rape her, but if she said anything he would, “stab and kill” her.

As he had one hand in a pocket the woman feared it may be where he was keeping a knife.

During the ensuing ordeal he led her to different parts of the park where he committed the rapes.

It was only after about three-quarters of an hour that the victim was able to run to a member of the public, screaming for assistance.

Read more: Man admits kidnap and rape of a woman in Spennymoor park

Although Mason initially tried to give chase, he then turned and ran off in the opposite direction.

Mr Walker said the victim was taken to hospital for treatment and for a CT scan, while she underwent testing for sexual disease she may have contracted.

The court heard she is still awaiting the result from those tests.

Mr Walker said she told police that during the period she was held captive by Mason he “flipped” from showing, “significant aggression” to being, "almost apologetic."

When Mason was arrested later that day he made the comment that he had, “assaulted somebody.”

The defendant, previously of Blackhall Colliery, who had been living in supported accommodation in Sunderland, was at large at the time of the attack as he was wanted on prison recall.

Mr Walker told the hearing the defendant has 42 offences on his record and has served custodial sentences in recent years for robbery.

During two hearings at the court late last year, Mason gave guilty pleas to three counts of rape, plus kidnap, making threats to kill and assault causing actual bodily harm.

The victim of his offences read an impact statement to the court in which she explained that she continues to be affected by the ordeal.

She said she has an irrational fear when she or family members are out in public and she no longer runs outside, but on a treadmill at a gym.

Even then, she said she feels nervous if someone is running alongside her or walking behind.

She also said she has undergone counselling but feels she will be affected by the attack for the rest of her life.

Christine Egerton, in mitigation, said the defendant was immature and had a difficult background, suffering with adhd.

She said it was to his credit that he made his admissions as he claims to have little recollection of events that day.

But she said he had shown some remorse for his actions, reflected in a letter he wrote to the court, saying he was, "truly sorry".

Judge James Adkin told Mason: "You perpetrated an extremely serious, disturbing and depraved sexual attack on a complete stranger”, who he said he encountered, “while still drunk, essentially homeless and on the run.”

The judge described it as a “sustained, violent attack”, and quoted from a probation report in which the defendant is assessed as posing, “a high risk of reoffending”, and, “a high risk of harm to lone females in secluded areas.”

He imposed an extended determinate sentence, including a custodial element of thirteen years and six months, with six years extended licence period.

It means Mason will spend at least nine years detained in custody before he will be eligible for release under licence supervision, but only at the behest of the Parole Board.

But, he may have to spend the whole of the thirteen-and-a-half years behind bars.

He will also be subject to lifetime registration as a sex offender.

The judge praised the victim for showing, “a remarkable measure of stoicism”, while suffering from, “the profound effect of such a shocking ordeal.”

Speaking after the case, Detective Sergeant Stuart Chaney, of Durham Police, said: “This was a truly shocking and abhorrent incident.

“The levels of sexual violence used by Mason against an innocent woman were some of the worst I have seen during my 20-year career as a police officer.

“Mason is a vile individual who should be utterly ashamed of his actions.

“Thankfully, he was located quickly by officers who brought him off the streets and into police custody, where he could not harm anyone else.

“I would like to commend the woman for her incredible bravery following this incident.

“She has shown great fortitude throughout the criminal justice process in being prepared to stand up and give evidence against her attacker.

“I hope today’s result brings her some closure and allows her to move forward with her life.”

Read next:

               Man, 21, charged for serious sexual assault at Jubilee Park in Spennymoor

               Man, 21, charged for serious sexual assault at Jubilee Park in Spennymoor

               Spennymoor incident LIVE: Man arrested following alleged sex attack in Jubilee Park

If you want to read more great stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo for as little as £1.25 a week. Click here

He urged anyone who has suffered sexual abuse to come forward and report it to the police, by either ringing 101, or, in an emergency, 999. 

Det Sgt Chaney added: “We take all investigations into rape and sexual assault very seriously and will support you every step of the way.”

He said if victims feel unable to talk to the police, help can still be accessed through The Meadows Sexual Assault Referral Centre, either by visiting its website, www.themeadowsdurham.org.uk, or by ringing 0333 448 283.