Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Non-Recent Rape

A man has been sentenced to eight years in prison after raping a woman and fleeing the area to evade police.

Giles Webster, aged 64, of Eaglescliffe, was convicted of the offence which happened in the 1980’s at his home in the Middlesbrough area.

After years of having to deal with the trauma of what had happened, the victim contacted police in 2021 to report the incident.

Following a full and thorough investigation, officers charged Webster in 2022 and during his trial in March 2023, whilst the jury were considering their verdict, Webster failed to show up in court. He fled to Scotland and then Cumbria in an attempt to evade police.

Officers continued to pursue him by working closely with Police Scotland and Cumbria Police. He returned to the Cleveland area a week later and was remanded in custody until his sentencing on Friday 12^th April. 

Appearing at Teesside Crown Court, Webster was sentenced to eight years in prison for rape, an indefinite restraining order and life on the sex offenders register.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Victoria Patrickson, said: “Giles Webster preyed on a woman and raped her, before fleeing to Scotland and Cumbria to try to evade justice for what he did.

“Despite the length of time that had passed since the offence took place, Webster was pursued by police and there is now justice for the victim.

“Webster is now rightly answering for his crimes and will spend a lengthy time behind bars.

“I would like to thank the victim in this case for her bravery in coming forward and for her unwavering strength throughout this period.

“Anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence, no matter the length of time, is urged to report it to police. We will not tolerate violence of this nature and we will continue to put perpetrators before the courts.”

#VAWG #Enough

*** Pictured: Giles Webster ***