March 2012 Rapist given indefinite sentence A 39-year-old man convicted of raping two women and sexually molesting a 15-year-old girl has been put behind bars indefinitely. A judge told Carl West that he poses a significant risk of serious harm to the public, particularly young women, and will not be released until the Parole Board consider it safe, which may be never. West, of South Avenue, Leigh, was ordered to serve a minimum of seven and a half years before he can apply for parole and has to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life. Sentencing him Judge John Roberts said that all three victims were vulnerable because they had been drinking. “I have no doubt you deliberately took advantage of their vulnerability in a most predatory fashion,” Victim impact statements showed that they had all been profoundly affected and it would take them a long time to get over their experiences, if ever, he said. West began raping the women while they were asleep and had spent some time stalking one of them, said Judge Roberts. He had been convicted by a jury of “a course of sexual misconduct between February 2009 and November 2010”. As he was being led to the cells his teenage son leapt over the front of the public gallery to try to reach him but was restrained by a police officer. West had been found guilty of raping and attempting to rape a 23-year-old woman and sexually assaulting her; raping a 32-year-old woman and assaulting the teenager by penetration. Liverpool Crown Court heard that the youngest victim had never met West before he twice assaulted her while she and others were at a friend’s house after a night out in Leigh in mid-February, 2009. He assaulted the 23-year-old woman about Christmas time that year and began stalking her. In May while at her home with others she awoke to find West molesting her and on November 6 while sleeping on a couch she woke to find him raping her. His third victim was sleeping in her home when she too awoke to find West, who had been drinking there with others that evening, raping her. Detective Constable Sheena Maerevoet, of Wigan CID, said: “West is a predatory sex offender who targeted women when they were at their most vulnerable. “The victims have been incredibly brave in standing up to West and ensuring justice is done, and I would like to reassure the public that he will now be behind bars for a considerable period of time, making the streets a much safer place for women. “I would also like to reassure the public that all reported crimes of this nature are investigated sympathetically and fully, and I would encourage any such victims to contact the police.”