DANIEL WOOLF JAILED FOR 19 YEARS IN MANCHESTER FOR HORRIFIC ASSAULT
A man living homeless in the woods in Hale, Manchester, was convicted of assaulting and raping a woman after dragging her into his tent.Daniel Woolf, 36, was described by police as a predatory offender and sentenced to 19 years in prison.
The victim, a woman in her 30s, was held inside Woolf’s tent for several hours.
The court heard that Woolf, who has a prior conviction for sexual assault, approached the woman at 1 am near Altrincham train station on October 15 of last year.
At that time, Woolf was residing in a tent located in woods off South Downs Drive, Hale.
Police reports state that Woolf led the woman away from the station and into his tent.
When she screamed and attempted to flee, he forcefully threw her into a nearby bush, then assaulted her by punching and kicking until she was forced back inside the tent.
Woolf then pushed her to the ground and committed the rape.
After enduring the ordeal for several hours, the woman managed to escape to a nearby shop, where she raised the alarm.
Police responded swiftly, arresting Woolf shortly afterward.
At Minshull Street Crown Court, Woolf was convicted by a jury following a trial.
He was found guilty of multiple charges, including rape, false imprisonment, and assault, and was sentenced to 19 years in prison.
Detective Constable Helen Bagnall praised the bravery of the victim, stating, “The woman was obviously terrified when Woolf dragged her into the tent and raped her.
What she has been through is horrendous.
She was extremely brave managing to alert a shop worker, and I want to thank them for contacting us so we could apprehend Woolf.” She added, “Woolf preyed on the fact that the woman didn’t know the area, using that to his advantage to commit such a horrific assault, which included not only rape but also holding her captive in a tent for hours.”
