PAUL MCDOWALL AND ALISTAIR EVISON COMMIT HORRIFIC SEXUAL OFFENSES IN LOUGHTH

In October 2015, a disturbing series of sexual offences unfolded involving two men, Paul McDowall and Alistair Evison, who subjected three teenagers to a harrowing ordeal that lasted approximately one hour. The victims, consisting of two 15-year-old girls and a 14-year-old boy, encountered the two offenders outside the Gas Lamp Lounge pub in Louth, a town known for its historic charm and vibrant community.

According to court proceedings at Lincoln Crown Court, the teenagers had been drinking alcohol, with one girl so heavily intoxicated that she was barely able to stand. The group, all visibly under the influence, decided to get into a vehicle driven by McDowall and Evison. As they departed from the pub, the situation quickly turned sinister. Evison began to sexually assault the boy and one of the girls while seated in the back of the car, marking the start of a series of traumatic events.

The vehicle made two stops at secluded rural locations, where both McDowall and Evison carried out further sexual assaults. During these encounters, one of the girls was raped by McDowall, while the other two victims endured serious sexual violations. The offenders' actions demonstrated a calculated intent to exploit the teenagers' vulnerability, especially considering their intoxicated state and young age.

After the assaults, the two men eventually dropped the teenagers off in Louth town centre. The victims, distressed and seeking help, managed to find assistance shortly thereafter. The gravity of the offences was recognized in court, where both McDowall, aged 41 and residing on Louth Road, South Somercotes, and Evison, aged 43 of Stanley Close, Louth, denied all charges. However, following a trial, a jury found both men guilty of multiple counts of sexual assault and related offences last month.

Judge Simon Hirst, presiding over the case, delivered a stern sentence, emphasizing the offenders' awareness of the victims' vulnerability. He stated, “Both of you were clearly aware these three young people were very vulnerable because of their age and their consumption of alcohol. What you did was to take advantage of their vulnerability. This offending by the two of you has had a profound effect on those young people.”

McDowall was convicted of one count of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of engaging in sexual activity with a child. He was acquitted of an additional charge of assault by penetration. Evison was found guilty of three counts of assault by penetration, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent. He was cleared of one further charge of assault by penetration.

The prosecution, led by Michael Cranmer-Brown, highlighted that the victims had been drinking and two had smoked cannabis. The group had stopped at a bench near the Louth Canal, where the girl’s intoxication made her particularly vulnerable, barely aware of her surroundings. Cranmer-Brown pointed out that the defendants had already been discussing their intentions before offering the teenagers a lift, indicating premeditation. The sexual assaults occurred both during the car journey and at the secluded stops, with the victims later seeking help in Louth town centre, illustrating the severity and calculated nature of the offences.