Serial rapist sentenced indefinitley

24/04/2008

Today, at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, David Pollard, 22, from Stoke was sentenced indefinitely under a sentence of imprisonment for public protection and put on the sex offenders register for life for a series of violent rapes on girls from Manchester and Merseyside between Dec 2005 and June 2007.

Pollard was found guilty in January 2008 of six counts of rape, attempted rape and assault by penetration. He pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child.

Pollard met his first victim, a 15 year old girl from Manchester, at a birthday party and struck up a friendship with her and they had consensual sex. Later this progressed to her being raped on three separate occasions at knife point. The girl, who was reported missing, was found with Pollard who was arrested and recalled to prison for breaching his licence from another earlier sexual offence.

Pollard was released on bail pending further inquiries and moved to Stoke-on-Trent where he struck up a friendship with a 19 year old girl over the internet. They arranged to meet in Widnes and he stayed at her home address and entered into a consensual sexual relationship. However in May 2007 he both attempted to and raped her at the stables where she kept her horse.
During the course of this relationship he met his next victim, a 16 year old girl and they began a sexual relationship.

Returning to Stoke-on-Trent he continued his relationship with the 16 year old and in June 2007 raped her twice, on the second occasion strangling her at the same time. The girl had been reported missing and was traced to Pollard's address in Stoke where he was arrested and denied all charges.

Speaking after sentencing Philip Beardwell, a Crown Advocate for Staffordshire CPS said: "DC Stones of Staffordshire police took the lead in drawing together the investigations of Greater Manchester police, Merseyside police and Staffordshire police.
"This was a complex inquiry and also one of the utmost seriousness. Special tribute should be paid to his teenage victims who showed real bravery in coming to court to give evidence against a man who has been shown to be an extremely dangerous offender."