Victim, 85, devastated by sex attack

Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday that Christopher Raymond Thompson spotted his victim in the garden of her home in Castleford and asked to borrow some sticky tape.

When she brought some out to him he then asked if he could have a drink of water, following her into the kitchen when she went to get it and then closing the door, said Jonathan Sharp, prosecuting.

The pensioner was alarmed and after giving him a glass of water decided to go into her lounge in case she needed to attract attention.

He followed her, grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her on to the sofa before lifting her blouse and cardigan.

As the attack continued he tried to remove her clothing and she resisted, putting her knee up into his groin. Despite that the attack continued and he eventually left her in a distressed state.

She was still upset and partially undressed when a schoolboy saw her in the garden and helped her until police arrived.

Mr Sharp told the court Thompson, who was sentenced to five years in prison in 2005 for a sexual assault on a 35-year-old woman, was arrested after a partial DNA match was found on the glass used by the attacker.

Thompson, 40, of Linden House, Pontefract, admitted the sexual assault on May 20.

Ordering him to serve a minimum of four years before he can apply for parole, Judge James Spencer QC said it was an appalling offence for Thompson's own gratification against a vulnerable victim. He commended Det Con Lorna Ratcliffe for her involvement in the case.

The pensioner said in a statement: "Those minutes were the most frightening of my life and I thought I was going to die.

"Since that date my life has completely changed. I have been forced to move as I could not face being in my home after what had happened.

"I used to feel like a young woman before that attack. I was happy, independent and active. I now feel like an old woman and I have lost a lot of confidence."

She thanked her family and friends for their support and said she was grateful to the police for their hard work "in ensuring that the man who committed this dreadful crime was sent to prison for a long time."