LEE COLLINS OF WORCESTER SENTENCED FOR RAPE AND VIOLENCE IN WORCESTER
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Worcester community, Lee Collins, a 31-year-old man from Tunnel Hill, Worcester, was sentenced to eight years in prison after being found guilty of serious sexual offenses and violent behavior that profoundly affected his victim.The conviction was handed down at Worcester Crown Court following a trial that revealed the harrowing details of the victim’s ordeal.
The jury, composed of seven men and five women, deliberated for over four hours before reaching their verdict.
They convicted Collins by a majority decision (10 to 2) of rape and unanimously found him guilty of causing a person to fear violence.
He was acquitted of an additional rape charge.
During the proceedings, the victim, who was visibly distressed, provided emotional testimony behind a screen.
She described her mental health struggles, including thoughts of suicide, and recounted how she was forced to leave her home due to Collins’s actions.
At one point, she even contemplated ending her life by going to a railway line but decided against it after thinking of her children, which gave her the strength to carry on.
Prosecutor Michael Hall highlighted Collins’s troubling past, which includes previous convictions for harassment, possession of indecent images of a 14-year-old girl, and bringing knuckledusters and cocaine to an FA Cup match between Worcester City and Sheffield United on November 7, 2015.
The judge, Jim Tindal, described Collins as a man who used violence, threats, and harassment to exert control over women, emphasizing that his behavior posed a significant ongoing risk.
Judge Tindal stated, “You are someone who likes to be in control and isn’t reluctant to use violence to enforce that control.
You are plainly, as things stand, a risk to women.” He further remarked that Collins’s decision to stay away from women temporarily was a wise one, but emphasized that his actions had already barred him from any contact with women for the foreseeable future.
The judge also noted that Collins’s offenses were aggravated by his history of violence and harassment towards women.
As a result, he was sentenced to eight years for the rape and an additional 12 months, to be served concurrently, for harassment that caused a person to fear violence.
The time Collins has spent in custody since his arrest in November last year will count towards his sentence, and he is expected to serve up to four years in total.
Furthermore, Collins will be subject to a restraining order protecting the victim until further notice.
His conviction also results in a lifetime registration as a sex offender, and he is now barred from working with children or vulnerable adults.
The court warned Collins that any future offenses could lead to a lengthy prison sentence, underscoring the seriousness of his crimes.
In a related development during the trial, it was revealed that Collins was already a registered sex offender due to possessing indecent images of a 14-year-old girl.
The court heard that he had previously been found with two such images on his mobile phone, which contributed to the ongoing legal proceedings.
Throughout the trial, the victim’s family members, including her mother, brother, and close friend, provided emotional testimony.
They expressed their distress over Collins’s behavior, with her brother calling him ‘a nonce’ when challenged.
Collins reportedly produced a ‘police cosh’ during confrontations, although he disputes this account.
The victim’s mother described her daughter’s transformation after the incident, stating, “She became very withdrawn and thin.
She stopped talking.
She seemed like a frightened little girl.
She was a shell of the person she used to be.
She wasn’t my daughter.
She wasn’t someone I recognised.” As the case continues, Collins maintains his innocence, denying two counts of rape and one of causing a person to fear violence.
He initially responded with a ‘no comment’ during police interviews but later claimed that the sexual encounters were consensual.
He also denied pulling off the victim’s trousers and forcing himself on her.
His previous convictions include harassment in 2008, harassment causing fear of violence in 2011, and perverting the course of justice in 2009.
Additionally, he has a conviction for failing to provide a sample for a drug test.
With the sentencing, the court has sent a clear message about the severity of Collins’s actions and the ongoing risks he poses.
The community and the victim’s family await further developments as the trial continues.
