JAMES WILKINSON FROM GATESHEAD SENTENCED FOR RAPE IN WIDEOPEN
A man identified as James Wilkinson, aged 27 and residing on Dunston Road in Gateshead, has been sentenced to over 11 years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting two women.The incidents occurred in the Wideopen area, where Wilkinson lured his victims into his flat under false pretenses, leading to traumatic assaults that have left a lasting impact on the victims.
Wilkinson first met one of the women through social media platforms.
The two arranged to meet in person in May 2021.
On May 9 of that year, Wilkinson invited the woman, who was 20 at the time, to his residence in Wideopen.
The woman, who had not anticipated going into his home, felt uneasy about the situation.
She took precautions by sharing her location and messaging her family members while she was at his flat, indicating her concern for her safety.
During their visit, Wilkinson encouraged her to come into his bedroom to watch television.
Despite her discomfort, she complied, but the situation quickly turned distressing as Wilkinson proceeded to sexually assault her, raping her.
The woman left his flat shortly afterward, visibly shaken and distressed, and later reported the incident to the police.
Less than two weeks later, on May 24, Wilkinson arranged another meeting, this time with an 18-year-old woman he had been communicating with online.
When she arrived at his flat, Wilkinson insisted they watch TV together before going out for a meal, as they had previously discussed.
However, the encounter took a violent turn when Wilkinson raped her twice during the visit.
The second victim, overwhelmed with fear and trauma, left Wilkinson’s address soon after the assaults and also contacted law enforcement authorities to report what had happened.
Following these reports, Wilkinson was arrested and charged with three counts of rape—two for the assaults on the women and one for the incident involving the first victim.
Throughout the legal proceedings, Wilkinson maintained his innocence, claiming that the sexual acts were consensual.
He also boasted about his social media activity, stating that he often met girls through his online accounts.
Initially, Wilkinson’s case was brought before Newcastle Crown Court for trial.
However, he was later found guilty of all three charges of rape.
On Monday, June 3, he appeared before Durham Crown Court, where the judge sentenced him to 11 years and six months in prison.
In addition to his imprisonment, Wilkinson was issued a restraining order preventing him from contacting either of the victims.
He was also ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities to protect the community from further harm.
