Life imprisonment for Nottingham rape

An unemployed man from Bestwood in Nottingham has been jailed for life for raping a schoolgirl close to her home in January 2023.

Shane Nash, 39, followed and attacked the victim after she had accompanied her friend to the bus stop. He approached her from behind and dragged her to nearby undergrowth. He covered her mouth and bound her hands with tape before making several attempts to rape her. He threatened to stab her if she was not quiet.

After the attack, the victim made her way straight back home, dishevelled and in considerable distress, and disclosed what had happened to her mother. The police were immediately called and an investigation began.

Nash was identified as a suspect and the police referred the case early to the CPS to involve prosecutors at the first possible opportunity. Working together, the CPS and police rapidly built a case against Nash and he pleaded guilty to rape and attempted rape at Nottingham Crown Court in March 2023. He was today, 12 July, sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years.

Matt Evans from the CPS said: “Shane Nash subjected a young girl to a terrifying ordeal barely minutes from her home. The violent and merciless nature of the attack is reflected in today’s significant jail sentence.

“We are grateful that we have been able to get involved at an early stage to build a compelling case, resulting in a guilty plea. The survivor in this case has suffered severe trauma and has a long journey of recovery ahead of her. I hope that this swift resolution without having to relive her ordeal and seeing Shane Nash behind bars for life will assist in that journey.”

As well as a life sentence, the court imposed a lifelong restraining order preventing Nash from contacting the victim through any means.

Building the case:

To bring this case to a swift outcome, police officers investigating the attack referred the case to the CPS as soon as they had identified Shane Nash as a suspect. As a result, the prosecutor was able to provide early legal advice to the investigation while Nash was still in custody, including securing a fast-track forensic analysis to identify his DNA from the attack.

By working in tandem with the police as the investigation unfolded, and by focusing attention on the most important evidence, the CPS were able to put together a comprehensive case that left the defence with no option but to plead guilty. This meant that the survivor did not have to wait for a trial and then relive her ordeal in court.

To bring the matter to sentencing, the CPS presented evidence that Nash presented a danger to the public and this was reflected in the sentence.