CARL HARTLEY'S HORRIFIC CRIMES IN LEEDS AND WAKEFIELD REVEALED
In September 2018, the dangerous sex offender Carl Hartley was sentenced to life imprisonment after a series of heinous crimes committed across Wakefield and Leeds.The court heard that Hartley's uncontrollable sexual urges led him to prey on vulnerable women, many of whom had been drinking late at night, and that he continued his offending behavior even after being released on bail on multiple charges.
Leeds Crown Court was shown harrowing CCTV footage depicting Hartley removing a victim’s clothing before forcing her to the ground and carrying out a sexual assault.
Prosecutor Phillip Standfast detailed the sequence of events, beginning with the first offence, which took place in Wakefield on February 6, 2014.
Hartley, residing at Summerfield Green, Rodley, Leeds, targeted a woman in Wakefield city centre after she had been drinking at the Strafford Arms pub.
Following an argument with her boyfriend, she was left alone in the pub for about an hour before deciding to visit her partner’s home to reconcile.
As she was walking along Stanley Road, Hartley attacked her.
He knocked her to the ground, causing her to hit her head, and then proceeded to remove her clothing while she was incapacitated.
During the assault, Hartley covered her mouth to muffle her screams.
The victim’s clothing was later examined and found to contain Hartley’s DNA, linking him directly to the attack.
Despite being arrested in November 2014, Hartley denied the offence, claiming the woman had consented to sex.
The victim, in a statement read aloud in court, described the profound trauma she experienced, including the need for medical treatment to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections.
She revealed that she has since moved away from Wakefield and that her confidence and outgoing nature have been severely affected.
The second offence occurred in Wakefield on May 17, 2014.
Hartley approached a 20-year-old woman outside Tequila nightclub, but she was initially warned to stay away from him by a friend.
Later that evening, Hartley waited outside the club and followed her as she left alone.
He engaged her in conversation, and she initially believed he was being kind, especially after he asked her to be his girlfriend, which she refused because they had only just met.
The court was shown security footage of Hartley and the woman sharing a kiss before he forcibly removed her clothing as she struggled to resist.
During the assault, Hartley pulled her hair and called her a “slag.” The woman managed to get dressed and retaliated by punching and scratching Hartley.
Police officers, called to the scene, found her walking along Westgate and she immediately reported that she had been raped.
Her victim statement expressed her feelings of betrayal, noting that Hartley had targeted her and gained her trust, only to attack her later.
The third incident took place in Leeds on July 1, 2017.
Hartley gained entry into a woman’s home by knocking on her door and offering to do gardening work for £20.
Once inside, he was allowed to plug in his tools but then followed her into the kitchen, where he grabbed her.
When she refused his advances and stated she had a boyfriend, Hartley attempted to kiss her and then put his hand inside her underwear.
She managed to pull away, but Hartley then exposed himself, blaming her for the incident.
During this ordeal, her three-year-old daughter entered the room, and the woman quickly picked her up.
Hartley tried to grab her daughter and asked the woman to sleep with him.
The court heard that her daughter witnessed some of the events and told her mother that only her father should kiss her.
Hartley continued to pursue the woman before leaving the house.
The victim described suffering from depression and anxiety since the attack, highlighting the lasting impact of Hartley's actions.
