Latest Offenders Ipswich

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A repeat sex offender who hid from justice while under investigation for another "heinous" crime has been sent back to prison.

Alan Fitzpatrick, of Edmonton Road, Kesgrave, was jailed for almost three years at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday for sexually assaulting another man last February.

The 49-year-old fled to Dublin the day after his arrest - but was eventually caught up with in April and recalled to prison.

He later admitted one count of sexual touching without consent and two counts of breaching notification requirements imposed following his conviction for previous offences.

The detective in charge of bringing Fitzpatrick to justice said his victim had shown tremendous courage and astounding support for the investigation.

Fitzpatrick was jailed for 13 years in 2008 for the rape, attempted rape and sexual assault of two young girls and boys, while living in the Great Yarmouth area, between 1987 and 2005.

He had already been jailed for seven months in Croydon in 1992 for assaults on children and was locked up in Dublin for three years in 1997 for indecent assault on a female.

In February last year, Fitzpatrick sexually assaulted a sleeping man, aged in his 20s, at his Kesgrave home.

The victim, who awoke during the assault, left immediately and contacted the police, who arrested Fitzpatrick hours later.

After answering no comment to all questions put by Detective Constable Jared Fortune, he was released and swiftly broke probation conditions by driving to the Port of Holyhead and boarding a ferry to Dublin, where he stayed until arrest and prison recall on April 7.

Appearing in custody after being recalled to prison, Fitzpatrick was sentenced to 32 months in custody by Recorder Heather Rogers QC, who also imposed further sex offender notification requirements for another 10 years.

Investigating Officer Detective Constable Jared Fortune said:

“I have had the honour to bear witness to the tremendous courage exhibited by the aggrieved party through the tumultuous months that followed this heinous crime.

"He has shown an astounding level of support for the investigation while overcoming a sense of despair that arose from this evil perpetrator’s manipulative betrayal.

"It is deeply inspiring to see how this victim no longer sees themselves as such and wishes to help others similarly affected. Such positivity demonstrates that, indeed, good can come of even the darkest of incidents."

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Sentencing 18-year-old Jacob Young, Judge Martyn Levett described him as a "clever manipulator and a good story teller" and a danger to the public.

"The jury saw through your lies," said the judge

He said Young had carried out internet searches for "sexy girls wearing shorts" and "upskirting" images of girls in the months before the rape and this demonstrated he had been "engaging in unhealthy sexual fantasies behind a facade of being an innocent 17-year-old".

The judge said he had read a letter from Young's mother which described the effect on Young of the family appearing in the "Supernanny" TV show with celebrity nanny Jo Frost.

She said it had led to a campaign of bullying and abuse from people including school friends.

The judge said that on the evening of the rape Young, who was described as a committed Christian, had attended a youth meeting at a church in Ipswich.

Young, of Beechcroft Road, Ipswich, was convicted by a jury last month of rape, assault causing actual bodily harm and theft.

He was sentenced to ten years detention in a young offenders' institution with an extended licence period of five years.

Judge Levett banned him from contacting the victim of the rape for 10 years and he was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

The victim, who was drunk, left the Unit 17 nightclub in Cardinal Park with her boyfriend, who had gone to collect her, on October 13 last year.

As they were walking through the town, Young was seen on CCTV walking behind them and following them through an archway in the direction of the woman's Ipswich flat.

The victim's boyfriend had left her handbag by the front door while he helped her into the flat and when he returned shortly afterwards it was missing.

Young stole the handbag and was captured on CCTV with it.

The boyfriend then left to go back to work and Young knocked on the victim's door and raped her in the flat.

The woman, who is in her 20s, previously told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court she had been drunk on the evening of the attack and didn't have a clear recollection of what happened in her flat.

However, she said she did remember being pushed against a wall and being pushed on to her bed with her attacker's hands round her neck and trying to get him off her.

She also remembered telling him she would do whatever he wanted if he let her go to the toilet and then running down the stairs and out of her flat.

Prior to the rape, Young had hidden in bushes near McDonald's in Cardinal Park and had taken photographs of scantily clad women, and was described as a "sexual predator" by prosecutor Jane Oldfield.

He was also captured on CCTV walking round Ipswich town centre and going up and down Silent Street frequently changing direction to follow women

Following the guilty verdicts, the jury heard that Young had a previous conviction as a 14-year-old when he followed a 12-year-old schoolgirl down an alleyway and threatened her with a knife.

Investigating officer Sgt Rory Prior from the Suffolk police safeguarding unit said after sentencing: "I am extremely pleased to see Young behind bars after being handed this sentence.

"However, it will be of little comfort, I am sure, for the victim who showed immense courage in giving evidence in court about the terrible ordeal she experienced. No prison term will ever make up for the trauma she suffered.

"Using a variety of investigative tools available to us, we were able to dismantle his web of lies and deceit and safely remove someone who was a genuine threat to the public."

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The brother of Sunderland footballer Titus Bramble has been jailed for raping a 19-year-old woman.

Tesfaye Bramble, an ex-footballer, had denied raping his victim at the Vermont Hotel in Newcastle in September 2010.

The 31-year-old, from Ipswich, was found guilty after a four-day trial at Leeds Crown Court earlier this year.

He was jailed for four-and-half years at the same court on Friday. Titus Bramble was also arrested, but later released without charge.

Sentencing him, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said Tesfaye Bramble had shown "not a shred of remorse".

The victim, who is now 20, said the incident happened after she met the Bramble brothers and their entourage in the VIP section of Madame Koo's bar, Newcastle, on 22 September last year.

The trial heard that the footballers were in the bar following a Sunderland match and had booked three rooms at the Vermont.

The woman said one of the men, Simon Pharaoh, helped her take her drunken friend home to Jesmond.

She then drove him back to the hotel and accepted his invitation to go in.

'Try my luck'

The victim said that, after chatting to the group, she went to sleep.

Tesfaye Bramble claimed he had got into the bed to "try my luck" and that sex had been consensual.

The trial heard the woman left the hotel shortly afterwards.

She said: "As I was driving, I was retching. I was in shock. I cried like I've never cried in my life."

Sentencing Tesfaye Bramble, Judge Marson said: "It has been described as opportunistic and it was to some extent.

"There was only one reason why you went back to the room... and that was to have sexual intercourse with her.

"I am entirely satisfied she was asleep at the time and was incapable of giving her consent and you knew it.

"You, and those involved in such activities, seem to have an attitude borne out by the contents of the pre-sentence report that says when young women go back to hotels in those circumstances with footballers, they go back for one reason only and that is to have sexual intercourse.

"They have a right to be protected and she had a right to be there and to be left alone and you abused it."

After the sentencing, Acting Det Insp Phil Mordue, of Northumbria Police's rape investigation team, said: "This was a difficult trial for the victim in this case, who should be praised for the strength, courage and belief she showed throughout."

Tesfaye Bramble had played international football for Montserrat and appeared in the Football League for Southend United and Stockport County.