Man Jailed Indefinitely for Rape

A Bestwood man has been given an indeterminate prison sentence for raping a 17-year-old girl.

James Hamilton, 21, attacked the teenager in the Open University Grounds, next to Clarendon College in Nottingham, on Thursday 11 November 2010.

At a previous court hearing Hamilton, of Cherry Orchard Mount, pleaded guilty to rape.  He appeared at Nottingham Crown Court today (Friday 18 March) and was told he will serve an indeterminate sentence for public protection.

He will serve a minimum of four years in prison before he can apply for parole, though a parole board will have to be sure he does not pose a risk to the public before they consider releasing him.

The inquiry into the assault was carried out by officers from Nottinghamshire Police’s Public Protection Unit (PPU), which dedicates detectives to the investigation of rape offences.

Detective Sergeant Andrea Baxter, of the PPU, commended the victim’s strength and bravery throughout the ordeal.

She said: “This was a horrific attack on a young girl who was forced to endure a terrible sexual assault.

“Stranger rapes are thankfully incredibly rare, but this was an occasion where the victim did not know her attacker. 

 “Today justice has been served and Hamilton is now behind bars, where he will be prevented from hurting anyone else. I hope that today’s sentence will offer some closure for the victim so she can start to rebuild her life and look towards the future.

“The force takes all reports of sexual assault seriously and works closely with other agencies to support victims. We would encourage anyone who has suffered in this way to contact us.”