PHILIP GADDIS FROM GLASGOW SENTENCED FOR RAPE IN MIRFIELD
A heinous case of sexual assault has culminated in the conviction and imprisonment of Philip Gaddis, a 24-year-old man from Glasgow, following a disturbing incident that took place in the Mirfield area in 2019.Gaddis was found guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court after a lengthy trial process, which included an initial hung jury before his eventual conviction earlier this year.
Gaddis was sentenced to six years in prison for his actions.
The victim, a woman aged 20 at the time of the assault, was attacked in the Mirfield region, an incident that has left deep scars on her and her family.
The case drew significant attention not only because of the severity of the crime but also due to the circumstances surrounding Gaddis’s release and the subsequent legal proceedings.
Following the conviction, the victim’s sister, who has chosen to remain anonymous for legal reasons, publicly expressed her distress and frustration.
She revealed that Gaddis had admitted to the offence through messages, which played a crucial role in securing his conviction.
She recounted that the first trial ended with a hung jury, but persistence and additional evidence led to Gaddis’s ultimate conviction this year.
She described the traumatic experience her sister endured, stating, "She woke up to him having sex with her...
She told me the day after it happened, and I said, 'It's rape, we need to go to the police,' but she didn't want to talk about it or report it." The victim’s reluctance to report initially was eventually overcome when Gaddis admitted to the assault multiple times via messages, in different circumstances, which prompted the authorities to take action.
Gaddis was subsequently charged and released on bail, a decision that the victim’s sister criticized as unjustifiable.
She emphasized that Gaddis was released while awaiting sentencing, despite strict bail conditions that prohibited him from contacting her sister.
She expressed her concern, saying, "He was released on bail between the guilty verdict and sentencing, which I believe was an unjustifiable risk." During this period, Gaddis was free to go about his life, including attending a concert, which caused additional worry for the family.
The sister noted, "He could have done anything else he wanted for three weeks.
He went to a concert in that time...
We were worried he wouldn't turn up because he lived in Scotland, but he did." The court proceedings also included a victim impact statement read aloud by the woman, which was described as one of the most difficult moments for her sister.
The emotional toll was evident when Gaddis, upon being found guilty, broke down crying and insisted, "I didn't do it." Expressing her relief, the victim’s sister said, "It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to see my sister and best friend go through.
It has destroyed her in so many ways, and I am just grateful it is over and that what he did was recognized." She added her hope that Gaddis’s time in prison would allow him to reflect and potentially reform, ultimately aiming to protect other women from similar harm in the future.
