RAPE VICTIM LEFT 'SCARED IN OWN HOME' AFTER ATTACK
A woman who suffered a severe sexual assault has disclosed that she continues to experience fear, even within her own home, following her attacker’s imprisonment.Paul Kibble, aged 42 from Bath, was sentenced to six years in prison on 31 May at Bristol Crown Court after being found guilty of assaulting a woman in Bath the previous year.
In her victim impact statement, she shared: "I cannot step into town to go shopping; I am scared in my own home, and I have been unable to return to work since the assault." According to Avon and Somerset Police Detective Constable Alice Chandler, "Kibble denied responsibility throughout the case, but thanks to the resilience and support of the victim, we have succeeded in removing a perilous individual from our community." The court hearing revealed that in October 2023, Kibble and the woman were in a house when he sexually assaulted and raped her, disregarding her refusals and continuing to act for his own pleasure without her consent.
At the end of the trial, the jury returned majority guilty verdicts for rape and sexual assault.
Before sentencing, the victim recounted how the ordeal has affected her: “It has affected me in so many different ways, words cannot even describe how I feel each day.
“I feel like something has been taken from me, something that I am never going to be able to get back, but I hope that this result will encourage others to speak up.” Kibble, living in Bath, has been placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.
Detective Constable Chandler acknowledged the victim’s resilience, stating: “The bravery and strength the victim has shown throughout this case has been truly commendable.
"She has shown a tremendous level of courage from the day of reporting right until the verdicts were received, demonstrating dignity and respect throughout the investigation and trial despite being the victim of such horrific offences."
