Record details
He is already serving an 11-and-a-half year sentence for similar offences, however has today been given another nine years.
A former 'fitness photographer' has been sentenced to 20-and-a-half years imprisonment this morning after being found guilty of rape, sexual assault, voyeurism, and sedating a number of male models.
Nigel Wilkinson, 45, of no fixed address, was already serving an 11-and-a-half year sentence following an earlier conviction in 2016, after he pleaded guilty to sedating and raping male models who he had lured to his home in Windmill Hill by offering them free photo shoots.
Follwoing his trial, a jury convicted him of one charge of rape, three charges of voyeurism, and five charges of administering a substance with intent, against a total of six men.
Today, nine jurors returned to the courtroom to watch His Honour Judge James Patrick pass his sentence.
Wilkinson himself declined to attend the sentencing.
With regards to his absence, Edward Burgess, mitigating, said: “When he indicated to myself yesterday afternoon that he did not intend to be discourteous to the court, but rather declined as the sentence would be inevitable beyond his expected release date of February 2022.”
His Honour Judge James Patrick said: “The reality is that criminal proceedings are not an option. I take dim view of this choice.”
During Wilkinson's trial, which begain in late November, an ex-prisoner told the jury that Wilkinson had confided in him whilst they were in prison together and told him that he had "many more victims".
The witness told the court that Wilkinson had hoped that the police would stop investigating him as he had more victims than he had been convicted for.
Following the publicity of the 2016 trial, two further victims initially came forward to police.
Further extensive investigations through Wilkinson's revealed a further five victims from across the country - however it is thought that there may be more men who were targeted who may never know if they were raped or sexually assaulted by Wilkinson.
Images released by the police show Wilkinson's home photography studio and bar, where he laced drinks with sedatives before attacking his victims.
During the sentencing hearing, prosecution Sarah Regan summarised some of the impact statements that had been written by Wilkinson's victims.
One man said: “This is the easiest statement I’ve provided. Why? Because I know exactly how this has affected me throughout my life. I pray that it doesn’t continue to affect my life. I hope it will bring us all closure and we can all move on with our lives.
“When I realised what had happened to me I felt stained. I felt like I had been infected against my will. How could someone do this? I have nightmares after nightmares, flashbacks after flashbacks about that night. Reading in the press about how he had been caught in the act and hearing that others been affected I felt sick.
“I often wonder if I had come forward earlier if I could have stopped other people being attacked. I was terrified because I didn’t want to see pictures that he could have taken of me. I was scared he would have taken pictures while he was raping me.
"How would I ever have gotten that out of my head? My question still is did he take pictures while raping me, as some kind of trophy?
“I’m glad that I found the strength to come forward as it means that justice can be served.”
Another victim said: “I don’t trust anyone. I feel uncomfortable being around people I don’t know, and I am calling my parents several times a day.
"I feel isolated, degraded, and as a heterosexual male it’s hard to reach out. The whole court process has been hell at times. This is the sort of case you read about because it’s happened to someone else, but you never realise it could be you.
“I still have trouble with trusting people and holding down a relationship, because I don’t have the confidence. It’s impacted really negatively on other members of my family.”
During the sentencing, Judge Patrick also passed an order that Wilkinson's Twitter account, which is currently still active, be removed. Although his Facebook and Instagram accounts had both been deleted, American social media company Twitter had thus far declined to remove the account, despite his criminal conviction.
Ms Regan called Twitter "difficult" and stated that Wilkinson had given his consent for the account to be removed, however did not provide any of the necessary log-in details to make deletion possible.
In his mitigation Mr Burgess said: “I accept in the spirit of realism rather than defeatism that to argue against the dangerousness of the defendant is very difficult in my position, as your honour has a wealth of evidence contrary to this.”
“However I would encourage the court deals with these matters as a whole. With the greatest respect I resist the conclusion that this was a campaign of rape.”
He suggested the sentence may be reduced slightly due to the fact that each attack in itself was not "sustained", and that although the victim of the rape charge had suffered as a result of the trauma inflicted upon him, there was little evidence to suggest he had been subjected to severe psychological harm.
During his summation with reference to Mr Burgess' suggestions, Judge Patrick said: "I have to regard those submissions but I reject them. This was a prolonged incident.
"It is not possible to know how long it lasted, because of your actions. You drugged this man, in whom you were sexually interested, at sufficient strength for him to pass out or black-out for a significant period, and for him to be unable to resist.
"This was not a momentary offence. You rendered him senseless and raped him. I have no hesitation in concluding that this was a sustained incident.
"He [one of the victims] had suffered nightmares an flashbacks. He feels guilt for not coming forward sooner. He was terrified of having to face you and what you did to him.
"He associates this city with a sense of hatred. He is undergoing counselling to try to address what you did to him. He dreads the day of your release.
"Furthermore, I watched him giving evidence. The distress he showed understanding the reality of what you did to him was genuine. On the basis of what I saw and have read, I conclude that he suffers severe psychological harm."
The court also heard how Wilkinson had claimed his offending was a result of a series of events in 2015 and early 2016 which included resigning from his job due to unhappiness and discovering a lump on his chest - which he feared could lead to his death after his mother and step-father passed away from cancer.
Wilikinson had previously claimed that he committed the offences as he intended to "go out in a blaze of glory".
With regard to this, Judge Patrick said: "In fact, what is now clear is that, long before those even occurred, you had already raped another man and were embarking on a course of drugging men for your own sexual purposes. This was not a short-lived period of offending, this was long in the planning and long in the exectuion.
"I have concluded that you are dangerous within the Criminal Justice Act 2003. I do not accept that you committed these offences against a background of your life spiralling out of control as you suggested.
"The fact that you have refused to attend court for your sentence is of course not determinative, but it displays a cowardly attitude verging on contempt for your victims, and does nothing to allay the court's fears that you are not facing the reality and effect of your offending.
"I bear in mind Mr Burgess's submission that you mean no discourtesy, but have no hesitation in concluding that you are not facing up to the enormity of your criminal behaviour.
"If I were simply to total up the sentences that each offence merits and order that they be served consecutively the resulting total sentence would inevitably be too long. He asks me to pass a sentence which will not crush your hope. I bear that submission in mind, but bear in mind too my public duty to have regard to the effect that you had on the lives not only of your nine victims, but also their partners, families, and friends."
Wilkinson was given an extended sentence of 20-and-a-half years, and will not be eligible for parole until he has served two-thirds of the custodial term.
He has been disqualified from working with children and vulnerable adults for life, and will also remain on the sex offender's register for life.
