HOMELESS MAN JAILED FOR RAPING VISITOR IN MIDDLESBROUGH

Leon Germaine Worsfold, who is homeless and has no permanent address, was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Middlesbrough. The incident took place in March 2022, after Worsfold was seen outside a local pub on Baker Street, where he was asking passersby for coins. The woman, visiting the area and staying at a nearby hotel, fell after a night out at a bar, and Worsfold assisted her. CCTV footage showed him helping her to her feet and supporting her as they went back to her hotel. Although she later could not recall returning to her room, she experienced flashbacks of Worsfold on top of her, which prompted her to contact police. Worsfold claimed he was just begging for money at closing time and did not enter the pub. Hours later, he was caught trying to withdraw money from her bank account via an ATM but was unsuccessful because he entered the PIN incorrectly. During the trial at Teesside Crown Court, Worsfold denied the charges of rape, claiming the woman gave him her bank card to buy food, and alleged she consented to his actions. The jury did not accept his version of events. The victim described her ongoing fear and her inability to communicate with family members, demonstrating the trauma she experienced. Worsfold was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment, ordered to register as a sex offender for life, and was subject to a lifetime restraining order preventing contact with the victim. The judge highlighted that Worsfold’s sexual assault occurred while the woman was incapacitated, either due to intoxication or involuntary drug consumption, and noted that the court could not determine whether she was intoxicated or drugged. Detective Inspector Matt Hollingsworth from Cleveland Police praised the victim's courage and reiterated law enforcement’s dedication to prosecuting such crimes.