A man who sexually assaulted a woman in Warrington in front of her child has been jailed.
John Whitfield (37) of Layton Close, Birchwood, grabbed the woman from behind whilst she was in a park in Warrington, with her young son, in July 2024.
She had spotted Whitfield hanging around nearby shortly before the attack. He then went out of sight.
Five minutes after that, he reappeared, came up behind her and forced her into a wooded area. He attempted to rape her and committed further sexual assaults during the attack.
The victim fought back by kicking and biting Whitfield whilst trying to get free. Her son was screaming nearby.
She did manage to get free and was able to grab her son and run. Whilst doing so, she spotted that Whitfield’s phone was on the ground and picked it up.
The victim then approached another woman who was nearby for help. The woman comforted her and called the police.
The victim gave police a description of her attacker and Warrington response officers immediately made enquiries to locate the offender.
The phone picked up by the victim was key to the quick identification of Whitfield. He was found at his home address and arrested within an hour of the incident being reported.
CCTV recovered by detectives during the investigation identified the exact clothing Whitfield had been wearing at the time of the attack.
Whitfield had changed out of that clothing by the time he was arrested. Officers obtained a warrant for a further search of his residence and found the clothing hidden behind a shed in his back garden.
Whitfield was charged with attempted rape, sexual assault and assault by penetration and pled guilty at Liverpool Crown Court in August 2024.
He was sentenced on February 28 at Liverpool Crown Court to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of four years, 137 days before he can be considered for parole.
If the Parole Board deem he is fit to be released at some point in the future, he will be on licence indefinitely and swiftly returned to prison if he reoffends. He was also handed an indefinite restraining order to prevent him from contacting the victim.
DS Dave Gerrard said: “I would like to recognise the incredible strength and courage of the victim and her family throughout the investigation. The victim and the witness who stopped to help her were vital to our efforts to ensure Whitfield faced justice for this horrific crime.
“Our response officers used their initiative from the moment they arrived at the scene, collecting vital evidence that would rapidly lead us to the suspect. Our detectives and forensic staff then picked up and led the investigation, compiling compelling and overwhelming evidence that Whitfield was the man responsible for this terrible offence, resulting in his guilty plea.
“Our officers and staff are a formidable force and I am proud of the case they built against Whitfield. They have ensured that a dangerous individual is in prison where he belongs.
“I hope this reassures residents that when horrific incidents such as this, rarely, but sadly happen, we are on the front foot in our determination to protect the public by finding the person responsible for such horrific crimes against women.”
