ANTHONY BROCKLESBY AND SHOCKING SEXUAL ASSAULT IN LANCASTER AND BURNLEY
Anthony Brocklesby, a man from Lancashire, was convicted of serious crimes involving a disturbing sexual assault that took place in a residential setting.The incident occurred after he had been consuming alcohol alongside a woman and her sister in Lancashire, during which his behavior escalated into criminal acts of a sexual nature.
According to court reports, Brocklesby, who was intoxicated at the time, undressed himself without consent and subjected a woman to a sexual attack.
During the assault, he made a disturbing comment to the victim, stating, “all she needed was the right man.” As the chaos unfolded, the woman's sister, who had fallen asleep in the front room, was witness to the entire ordeal.
Brocklesby then forcibly grabbed her and pinned her down on the settee, turning a private moment into a traumatic experience.
The prosecution, led by Francis McEntee at Burnley Crown Court, detailed how Brocklesby began to groped the woman.
The prosecutor described a physical struggle, during which Brocklesby grabbed her by the neck, intensifying the assault.
Court evidence revealed that he managed to slip his hands into her underwear, moving them up under her top and into her bra.
Despite her efforts to resist, the woman eventually managed to push him away and retreated to her bedroom.
However, Brocklesby did not desist.
The following morning, he entered the bedroom without wearing a top, with his pants around his ankles, and attempted to sexually assault her again by touching her breasts.
This continued aggression was interrupted when her sister woke up and entered the room.
Concerned and confused, she asked Brocklesby what was going on.
His dismissive reply was, “what does it look like?” In addition to the assault, Brocklesby caused damage to the property by breaking a glass top on the kitchen stove, an act demonstrating a pattern of aggressive and destructive behavior.
The following day, the victim confronted Brocklesby about his actions.
He claimed he could not remember what had happened, a defense that was not accepted by the court.
The incident was reported to the police, leading to further troubling developments.
On April 29, just three days after the initial assault, Brocklesby made intimidation threats to both women, warning them that they should not have reported him.
He explicitely told them, “you shouldn’t have made the report,” and ominously added, “if you don’t retract, you won’t see your family again and you will pay.” During the court proceedings, Brocklesby, aged 31 and residing on Mitre Street in Burnley, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of sexual assault by touching, witness intimidation, and criminal damage.
His solicitor, Paul Cummings, described his client’s behavior as “wholly out of character” and attributed his actions largely to dependency on alcohol.
The court took all these factors into account when sentencing Brocklesby.
He was sentenced to 12 months in prison, a five-year restraining order was issued to prevent any contact with the victims, and he was placed on the sex offender’s register for ten years, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the impact on the victims’ lives.
