MATTHEW JONES OF BOLTON SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR RAPE OF SCHOOLGIRL

In October 2008, Matthew Paul Jones, age 23, of Chorley Old Road, Bolton, was sentenced to prison for the sexual assault of a teenage girl. Jones attacked the girl as she was walking to a friend's house on June 3, shortly after 9am in Bolton. According to the court, he pounced on her while she was listening to music, grabbing her in a headlock and forcing her to the ground. During the assault, he raped her twice and forced her to perform a sexual act, as disclosed in Bolton Crown Court.

At the time of the attack, Jones was on license following a previous conviction for battering a woman with a baseball bat and then burglarizing her home. His supervision order for the aggravated burglary, for which he had received a four-year sentence, ended just three days before the June attack. The court also heard evidence of his past crimes, which included multiple robberies and assaults, including an attempted robbery of a schoolboy.

Jones pleaded guilty to one count of rape and one count of robbery during an earlier hearing. Prosecutor Geoff Whelan detailed the attack, stating: "As she walked towards Raglan Street, she became aware of a male walking behind her... She thought he was simply going to walk past her. He grabbed her, put her into a headlock, and then covered her mouth to stop her from screaming, saying ‘shut up shouting, they’ll hear you.’ He then dragged her into a wooded area."

Mr. Whelan explained that Jones ignored the girl’s pleas to stop while he committed his assault. After the attack, Jones rummaged through her bag, took her mobile phone, and questioned whether she would call the police. He also told her that no one "would believe you anyway" and warned her not to look at him as he left the scene. The victim, whose name is protected by legal restrictions, was unable to see her attacker clearly during the assault.

Following the attack, she sought help by knocking on someone’s door. Meanwhile, Jones was observed smoking a cannabis joint with a friend afterwards. Judge Stephen Everett described Jones as a "thug" and emphasized that his actions had caused significant fear and terror for the victim. The victim’s impact statement was read aloud, with her expressing that she feels as if part of her life has been irreparably affected.

Concluding the hearing, Judge Everett characterized the violence as among the worst, adding, "I don't see you changing your ways for many years, if at all. It seems to me you are not that sort of person." Jones was sentenced to an Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) with a minimum term of five years before being eligible for parole. Additionally, he will be registered as a sex offender for life. The judge also allowed the two counts of rape to remain on file, reflecting the severity of the crimes committed.