CHRISTOPHER WILDMAN FROM SHOLING, SOUTHAMPTON, SENTENCED FOR PREDATORY SEXUAL ASSAULT

In February 2013, a harrowing incident unfolded in the quiet suburb of Sholing, Southampton, involving a young girl who was just 12 years old at the time. The girl was walking home from a local shop, having gone there on her mother’s behalf, when she became the victim of a terrifying and calculated sexual assault that would leave lasting scars.

According to reports, the girl was so overwhelmed with fear during the attack that she believed she was going to be killed. She was suddenly grabbed from behind by a stranger, an encounter that has since been described by the court as a “planned, predatory and targeted attack.” The assailant, later identified as Christopher Wildman, a 32-year-old man from Southampton, specifically targeted her in a calculated manner.

The incident occurred on Butts Road in Sholing, Southampton. Wildman, who was unemployed and residing at Botley Gardens in Sholing, had been driving along the street at approximately 4 pm on September 20 of the previous year. He noticed the young girl, dressed in her school uniform, and decided to follow her. Knowing what he intended to do, Wildman parked his vehicle in a side street, out of the view of CCTV cameras, and then stealthily approached the girl from behind.

He then forcibly grabbed her, causing her to panic. Initially, the girl thought her attacker might be her father, which led her to turn around in an attempt to identify him. However, upon seeing the stranger, she quickly realized she did not recognize him. Fearing for her safety and believing she was being robbed, she offered Wildman her mobile phone and money in a desperate attempt to appease him. Despite her compliance, Wildman’s intentions were far more sinister. He subjected her to a horrifying indecent assault before fleeing the scene.

Following the attack, the girl was left physically injured, but the psychological trauma inflicted was even more profound. Her mother, in a letter to the court, explained how she had encouraged her daughter to gain some independence by sending her to the shop that day. The mother expressed her distress, stating, “You took that independence. You made her think twice about the kind of people are out there.”

Her father also wrote to the court, revealing that his daughter had been frozen with fear during the attack, overwhelmed by the thought that she might be killed. The emotional toll on the young girl was evident, and her family’s letters underscored the devastating impact of Wildman’s actions.

During the trial at Southampton Crown Court, the prosecution, led by Jennie Rickman, detailed how Wildman initially denied any involvement in the assault when questioned by police in December. However, the case against him strengthened when DNA evidence was discovered on the girl’s underwear, linking him directly to the crime. Wildman attempted to justify his actions by claiming that he thought her skirt was too short and that he believed she needed to be taught a lesson. He even suggested that she had given him signals indicating she was willing to engage in sexual activity, a claim the judge dismissed as a “distorted and worrying” line of reasoning.

In his defense, Wildman’s lawyer, Peter Asteris, highlighted that Wildman, who holds two university degrees and a pilot’s license, found it difficult to explain his behavior, describing it as something that “spiraled out of control.”

Judge Gary Burrell QC sentenced Wildman to ten years in prison, with an additional five years on license. The judge described the attack as sustained and predatory, emphasizing that Wildman had detained the girl during the assault. He condemned Wildman’s actions, stating, “You were sexually attracted to her. You planned the attack as soon as you spotted her on the road. You say the child had given you signals to advance sexually, that is wholly distorted.”

Furthermore, Wildman was ordered to register as a sex offender, reflecting the severity of his crime and the threat he posed to the community. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking even in seemingly safe neighborhoods like Sholing, Southampton, and the importance of vigilance and justice in protecting vulnerable individuals from predatory behavior.