DOMINIC SPITERI SENTENCED TO SEVEN YEARS FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT IN YORKSHIRE
A 53-year-old security guard from Yorkshire, Dominic Spiteri, has been sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting a drunken woman in the city.The victim, a 24-year-old woman, recounted her distressing experience during a trial held at York Crown Court.
She explained that she believed her drink had been spiked during a night out in the city centre, which left her feeling extremely disoriented and unsafe.
The incident occurred after she visited the nightclub Vudu in York, where she was out with friends.
She described feeling very unwell, saying she felt “mangy and totally out of it” as she left the venue.
It was at this point that Dominic Spiteri approached her.
He claimed to be a taxi driver and offered to take her home at a discounted rate, suggesting he was providing a service to help her get back safely.
The woman, succumbing to her intoxicated state, agreed to his offer.
Once inside Spiteri’s vehicle, the victim testified that he began to molest her, and she felt unable to resist due to her impaired condition.
He then drove her to a remote layby in the countryside, where he carried out a sexual assault so brutal that the woman reported feeling pain for several days afterward.
She stated that she repeatedly told Spiteri to stop, but her protests were ignored, and she was unable to prevent the assault as she was overwhelmed by her intoxication.
Spiteri, who was employed as a doorman at various clubs in the city, denied the allegations during his trial.
He disputed claims that he had falsely identified himself as a taxi driver or that he had spiked the woman’s drink.
In his testimony from the witness box, he alleged that the woman had introduced him to her friends inside Vudu and had flirted with him in the vehicle, suggesting she had initiated sexual contact.
Spiteri also denied the witness statements indicating the victim had vomited when they arrived at the hotel where her friends were staying.
After four hours of deliberation, the jury found Spiteri guilty of sexual assault.
Recognizing the vulnerability of the victim, who was alone in the taxi and clearly intoxicated, Judge Simon Batiste delivered a stern warning about the severity of his actions.
The judge stated that the victim was taken advantage of while she was in a compromised state and that Spiteri showed no remorse for his conduct.
“This was a hideous attack,” the judge remarked.
Following the sentencing, Spiteri was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Additionally, he was issued a lifelong sexual harm prevention order, which prohibits him from being alone with a woman in a car or making any contact with the victim.
He will also be listed on the sex offenders register for life.
The victim was visibly emotional as the jury returned their guilty verdict at the conclusion of the four-day trial.
She shared a personal statement indicating that she now feels violated, with her trust in men shattered, and expressed discomfort being alone with any man.
Her ordeal has caused her to suffer significant psychological harm.
The court also learned that Spiteri’s case had previously been mishandled; initially, an officer investigating the case had been withdrawn due to inadequate investigation procedures.
A second officer eventually took over, gathering the evidence that led to the conviction.
Spiteri’s legal representative, Keith Allen, stated that his client was currently struggling with depression and was under psychiatric care as a result of these events.
The case highlights issues surrounding the handling of sexual assault cases and the importance of thorough investigations to ensure justice is served.
