Godalming man sentenced to 12.5 years for rape and abuse

GODALMING MAN SENTENCED TO 12.5 YEARS FOR RAPE AND ABUSE

A Godalming man has been found guilty of rape among many other charges and has been sentenced to 12 and half years in prison.

Surrey Police has described the actions of the man as "horrific abuse" and following the sentencing, the survivor expressed that police "heard me" and "I didn’t feel like I had to prove myself".

Charlie Walker, 33, DOB: 06/10/1991, from Godalming, was found guilty of rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour, following a four day trial.

He was sentenced to prison at Guildford Crown Court on Friday (September 5).

Additionally, Walker, who police have described as a "prolific abuser" was also been given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

The court heard how between the period of three years, the 33-year-old subjected the survivor to a "campaign of abuse and control" and on one occasion, he "assaulted and raped her when she was pregnant".

The investigation into Walker by Surrey Police's Sexual Offences Investigation Team (SOIT), uncovered over 100 voicemails from Walker to the survivor that were "laden with abuse, threats, expletives and slurs".

A spokesperson for the force said: "This horrific abuse was put to a stop when the survivor came forward to police in June 2024, feeling able to do this thanks to support from South West Surrey Domestic Abuse Service." "When she walked into the police station, she spoke to PC Billy Dann who spent hours with her while she recounted the years of control." Reflecting on this, the survivor shared their experiences with police: "Billy really helped me to feel I could get through this, he explained exactly what was going to happen." "(The police) believed me, I wasn’t made to feel like I was a suspect.

They heard me and that makes all the difference.

I didn’t feel like I had to prove myself."