Quickly exit this site by pressing the Escape key Leave this site
This site is a beta, which means it's a work in progress and we'll be adding more to it over the next few weeks. Your feedback helps us make things better, so please let us know what you think.
14:34 28/02/2020
We can confirm the sentencing of a Kensington man to eight years in prison and a further five years on extended licence following the rape of a woman in Liverpool City Centre last December, 2019.
23-year-old Callum Jamieson was convicted after admitting the offence last month and was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court today, Friday 28 February. He was also issued with a Lifetime Sex Offender Order.
At around 3.30am on Sunday 1 December, the victim, a woman in her 20s, was found in a distressed state in Great Homer Street, having been approached from behind by a man and dragged into nearby bushes. Jamieson was disturbed by a member of the public and ran off towards Great Nelson Street.
Following an extensive investigation, including CCTV appeals, Jamieson was arrested, charged with rape and remanded in custody.
Speaking after the sentence, Detective Inspector Catherine Cox said: “While no result at court can ever remove the psychological impact of this abhorrent attack, we hope that Jamieson being imprisoned for a significant length of time can provide some comfort to the victim as she continues her process of recovery.
“Jamieson is an extremely dangerous repeat sex offender who followed his victim on foot for more than a mile, before attacking her. The intervention of a member of the public prevented an even more traumatic experience.
“The strength and resolve that she has found to come forward and support such a prosecution is immense, and has ensured that this dangerous sexual predator is now off the streets. Hopefully her bravery will encourage other victims to come forward, all of whom can be assured that our specially trained officers will support them from the point they make a report to the police right through to court.
“I’d also like to thank those members of the public who came forward to assist with this investigation, providing witness accounts and as a response to appeals we issued. It makes a real difference so keep sharing these appeals when you can.”
Anyone with information or wants to report a sexual offence allegation is asked to call 999 if urgent, or report crime via 101 where you will be spoken to by specially trained officers. You can also pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously.
Support for victims is also available through the registered charity the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre Cheshire and Merseyside, who can be contacted on 01925 221 546 or 0330 363 0063 or Rape and Sexual Assault Merseyside (RASA) on 0151 558 1801.
You can read an extract from a Victim Personal Statement (VPS) here:
“I've not been on my own since this happened. I'm not sleeping well because I have worries of waking up on my own and being in a panic. I have become anxious all the time. I take my phone everywhere and feel like an emergency could happen at any point which I need to be ready for. When I go anywhere, I am regularly looking over my shoulders to check if anybody is following me, which becomes a constant reminder of that night.
“I used to love taking my dog out on my own, now it is mentally draining as each day I have to tell myself it is going to be alright. At the moment I find it very hard to take my dog out unless it is the middle of the day so I know it is going to be light out and don’t have to fear it going dark. There is a big check list in my head I need to now tick off for such a small task I once enjoyed. Loud noises make me jump more than usual, my dog barked the other night, the surprise made me get into a frantic state and start crying. When I'm crying my dog knows, she comforted me a lot.
“I don’t trust other people anymore and I avoid being in public.
“I just feel like a burden on people. I feel I've lost a part of my independence. All of my future plans feel ruined, my options have now all changed and closed a door for me. I was so eager to travel, now I am scared and couldn’t imagine doing it alone. I just feel stripped of this confidence and excitement I had towards living.
“Since this I've started taking calming tablets in my drinks, due to my anxiety.
“Going through a police investigation, it's had a massive impact, it’s a lot to absorb. I'm happy with how police have dealt with this, and me but when I've seen incidents like this in the news or on TV, you can’t imagine how that person feels or think that it would happen to you. It is truly awful coming to terms with what happened.
“I didn’t want this to affect me but I'm devastated that it has. Everything's moved so quick, a lot of things have happened and I am very overwhelmed.
I try not to think about it but I can’t help it, especially when I'm on my own. I get a lot of flashbacks. There was just us two there in that horrible, terrifying moment which he wanted to do. It sickens me and I can’t understand it, going out to target someone like that - he is clearly a danger. I thought he may have a weapon so I was completely at his mercy.
“As I was being dragged by him, I saw my belongings in front of me on the path and that was a really surreal moment as I thought 'This is what people will find to start looking for me' - it really does never leave you. I thought that would be the last thing people would see of me.
“I thought I was going to die, that I'd be left for dead.”