Norwich Man's Sentence for Rape and Kidnapping Cut on Appeal

NORWICH MAN'S SENTENCE FOR RAPE AND KIDNAPPING CUT ON APPEAL

A 58-year-old man named Robert English, residing on Fiddlewood Road in Norwich, has been found guilty of kidnapping and raping a woman he abducted from a supermarket parking lot.

In October 2008, he admitted guilt to six charges stemming from an attack that happened in June in Brandon, Suffolk.

During the assault, English forcibly took, sexually assaulted, and raped the 21-year-old woman.

The Court of Appeal reviewed his sentencing and determined that the original life sentence, requiring a minimum of seven and a half years, was too harsh.

As a result, his sentence was reduced to five years and four months.

Initially, at Norwich Crown Court, Judge Neil McKittrick believed the offenses were so serious that only a life sentence was suitable.

However, Lord Justice Dyson and two other judges later concluded that a life sentence was not justified.

While acknowledging the terrifying nature of the incident and the lasting impact on the victim, Lord Justice Dyson stated that the crimes did not warrant a life sentence.

He noted that, although English threatened to kill the victim and marked a grave on the ground during the assault, he did not use a knife or inflict violence beyond the sexual acts.

English pleaded guilty to charges including kidnapping, false imprisonment, sexual assault, assault by penetration, and two counts of rape.