Victim left continually playing out ordeal in head

A JUDGE said in three decades of criminal law he had not seen the like of a degrading sexual assault carried out by a man on a woman. Ryan Stevens, formerly of Bristol, denied wrongdoing.

But a jury found the 31-year-old, whose address was given as Hockley in Birmingham, guilty of sexual assault by penetration after the incident in June 2020. Judge James Patrick jailed him for six years and six months.

He told Stevens: “I’ve not heard of that in over 30 years in the criminal law.” He told Stevens to register as a sex offender for life and banned him from all contact with the complainant for eight years and three months from today. (April 27, 2023)

The judge described how “aggressive, violent and dominating” Stevens put his arm around the woman’s neck when they had sex. After sexually assaulting her, he performed a sex act on himself.

The woman made an impact statement in which she said the assault left her in fear of her attacker, as well as men. She said how she had since spent time indoors. The complainant wrote: “I can’t get it out of my head. I’m continually replaying events in my head. He makes me feel unsafe and vulnerable. It is hard for me to get motivated for mundane tasks.”

Kaj Scarsbrook, defending, told

Bristol Crown Court his client grew up in East London and had a difficult early life in which he witnessed domestic violence. Mr Scarsbrook said Stevens lived in Bristol for a while, but left that address shortly before the offence occurred. Mr Scarsbrook told the court Stevens continued to deny guilt. He said: “Stevens is very scared of what awaits him through the door. This will be his first period in custody.”