OXFORD CHILD SNATCHER JAILED FOR ASSAULTING SLEEPING WOMAN
A convicted child snatcher who exploited a sleeping woman at a party has been sentenced to jail.Rodney Hart, aged 33, was convicted by Oxford jurors of sexual assault last month.
During the sentencing hearing on Friday, it was noted that Hart still does not fully accept his guilt, despite the jury's findings.
His defense lawyer, Richard Paton-Philip, requested the judge consider a suspended sentence.
Hart, who previously served a year in prison in 2018 for child abduction, has reportedly been abstinent from drugs and alcohol, is undergoing mental health treatment, and has expressed limited remorse, according to court reports.
The judge, Maria Lamb, described the assault as despicable and disgusting.
The incident took place almost four years ago, at a home in a west Oxfordshire village, where Hart had gone to a gathering.
The court heard that Hart approached and interacted with the victim during the evening, and that the woman fell asleep on a sofa, which Hart later exploited to touch her.
Hart was caught in the act by a friend of the victim, although he later claimed that the witness lied about what he saw due to an earlier argument with the victim.
Hart was found guilty of sexual assault at Oxford Crown Court in May.
The judge emphasized the gravity of the offense, noting that Hart did not accept his actions as constituting the crime, suggesting his remorse might be pragmatic.
Hart resides on Church Crescent, St Albans.
Additionally, it was revealed he was jailed for a year in 2018 for child abduction after he took a 14-year-old child without lawful authority in Swindon; however, charges related to a sex act in that case were not pursued.
The court's decision underscores the seriousness of his latest conviction and the need to protect vulnerable individuals.
