June 2020 Dangerous Worcester rapist jailed for 15 years A “dangerous” Worcester man with a history of violence towards women has been jailed for 15 years for two counts of rape, we reported four years ago this month. Paul Biddle was said by a judge at Worcester Crown Court to have a “deep hatred and mistrust” of women in the case reported in June, 2016. The then 34-year-old had been jailed before for violence towards women going back over the last 10 years, the court heard. He was given a five-year ASBO in 2014 forbidding him from any further harassment or violence towards women but he has ignored the order. Biddle was convicted on March 17 after an eight day trial at Hereford Crown Court. On Monday, he refused to leave his prison cell to appear in court to be sentenced and Recorder Jason Macadam said he could understand that he would have had difficulty controlling himself following his behaviour at the trial. When the jury gave their verdicts, Biddle shouted and swore at them and had to be taken to the cells by officers. Kassan Siva prosecuting, said Biddle raped the woman, who was said to be mentally vulnerable, on two occasions when he lived in Worcester. He also hit her, mainly in the arms and legs so the bruising did not show. He moved to a caravan in Broadwas where he carried out further offences of violence against the woman over a short period last year in a “reign of terror” with abusive, controlling and manipulative behaviour, Mr Siva said. He was cleared of one charge of rape but found guilty of two others and also guilty of two charges of breaching the ASBO. Mr Siva told the court Biddle had 21 previous convictions for 50 offences, many of them for violence against women. Recorder Macadam said Biddle used violence towards women as a tool to make sure they do as they are told. “He has a deep seated hatred and mistrust of women which means he is a very real danger to them,” Recorder Macadam said. “He is a significant risk and he is a dangerous offender.” He said Biddle’s outburst at the end of a very distressing trial for the jury would attract an additional sentence for contempt of court. “These members of the public did not deserve to be treated in this way and I want to send a message to deter other offenders,” he said. Biddle was given nine years concurrent for each of the rape charges and a further two years for breaching the ASBO. An extra four years extended licence was added because of the dangerousness element and three months for contempt of court, making a total sentence of 15 years and three months. He will also be on the sex offenders register for life.