RUSSELL JONES AND SHOCKING SEXUAL PREDATOR ACTS IN LANCASHIRE
A man identified as Russell Jones has been convicted and sentenced for a series of disturbing and predatory acts in Lancashire, specifically around the area of Whiston Hospital.The incidents, which span over several years, include a pattern of sexual misconduct, aggressive behavior, and alarming attempts to approach vulnerable individuals in a hospital setting.
The recent case, which led to Jones's imprisonment, involved him loitering on the hospital grounds in October of the previous year.
At the time, Jones, who was reportedly intoxicated, was seen attempting to engage with female patients by approaching them and trying to befriend them.
His behavior was described as intrusive and inappropriate, raising concerns about his intentions.
The victim in this case was an inpatient using a wheelchair, and she was accompanied by her boyfriend and a friend when Jones approached her while clutching a bottle of vodka.
According to court reports, after her partner left in a taxi, Jones watched and waited for her to be alone.
He then tried to push her back toward her hospital ward, prompting a hospital volunteer to intervene.
During this encounter, Jones claimed to know the woman, but his actions and remarks suggested otherwise.
Later that day, while she was having a cigarette with her friend, Jones resumed his harassment, making an inappropriate comment about wanting to spend time with her.
The situation escalated when Jones crouched down beside the woman, began touching her leg, and moved his hand upward in a sexual manner.
This behavior was witnessed by others and led to his arrest around midnight on the hospital premises.
Jones's criminal history is extensive, with a total of 40 previous convictions for 69 offences, including a particularly heinous attack in 2015.
In that incident, he exposed himself to teenagers in Warrington, then approached one girl, placing his lips on her neck, grabbing her breasts, and tickling her stomach and ribs.
When she responded by punching him, Jones responded with violence, placing his hands around her neck and strangling her until she lost consciousness.
The assault was only halted when her friends intervened, punching him until he released her.
He was subsequently jailed for two years for that attack, and he also has a prior conviction for sexual assault from 2014.
The latest incident deeply affected the victim, who bravely read a statement in court describing the emotional and psychological toll it has taken on her.
She recounted suffering a panic attack, believing Jones was following her, and experiencing nightmares.
She expressed her feelings of paranoia, fear of being alone, and a loss of confidence, stating, "It happened in hospital, a place where I thought I was safe.
I’m paranoid about people when they walk past me and what they might do to me as well.
I don’t want to be anywhere alone.
I constantly think about this.
What he did to me was terribly wrong.
I want him to know I’m not scared of him and he can’t treat me this way.
I no longer have confidence when I go out and don’t feel like myself anymore - I no longer trust anyone due to this incident." Jones’s response to the court was dismissive; he stated, “I’ve got no interest in hearing her.” His defense lawyer, Frank Dillon, highlighted Jones’s personal circumstances, mentioning that his mother is suffering from lung cancer and is described as being “on borrowed time.” Dillon emphasized that Jones denies the allegations and expressed his client’s desire to be released soon to resume earning an honest living, as he had been doing prior to his remand.
During the trial, Jones was found guilty of one count of sexual assault by a jury.
He appeared via video link from HMP Liverpool and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.
Additionally, the court imposed an indefinite restraining order, barring him from contacting the victim.
Judge Garrett Byrne, delivering the sentence, remarked on the serious impact of Jones’s actions, stating, “This sexual assault had a real adverse impact on her life.
I find you to be highly dangerous.
You present a significant risk to members of the public, particularly women.
I have no doubt you see yourself as some kind of rough diamond, but you are in fact a sexual predator who demonstrates a complete inability to understand how your behavior affects other people.”
