TADAS TRAKSELIS SENTENCED IN LIVERPOOL FOR RAPE, STRANGULATION AND THEFT
A woman in Liverpool who was raped and strangled in a park feared she might never see her children again.Tadas Trakselis, 25, strangled the sex worker unconscious, assaulted her, raped her while she was incapacitated, and stole the money he paid her.
The victim believed she was going to die and wouldn’t survive to see her kids before losing consciousness.
Liverpool Crown Court was told that Trakselis, who punched and beat her after he was unable to achieve an erection, nonsensically remarked: "There's dangerous people out there" as he walked away after she regained consciousness.
The incident occurred late on August 22 last year, on Sheil Road near Newsham Park in Anfield.
Prosecutor Martine Snowdon explained: "She was approached by the defendant, who asked her how much it would be for oral sex.
They agreed on a price, he gave her 30, and they moved to some bushes in Newsham Park." Ms Snowdon added that the woman, in her 40s, provided a condom for Trakselis, but "he was unable to get an erection." She described him as "a bit off" and intoxicated, which made her uncomfortable, and she told him so.
She recounted that Trakselis then grabbed her by the throat and pushed her to the ground.
Despite fighting back, she knew she probably shouldn’t resist.
She then passed out and later awoke to find herself being strangled again.
The court heard that Trakselis told her to "hush" and continued to throttle her.
The woman thought she was going to die and lost consciousness once more.
When she regained awareness, she noticed her lower clothing had been pulled down and that the money had been taken from her pocket.
She then saw Trakselis walking away, commenting: "There's dangerous people out there." She contacted a male friend, who arrived at the scene, called emergency services, and took photos of her injuries, which included grazes and bruises across her neck, chest, mouth, jaw, back, shoulders, hips, pelvis, and genital area.
A medical examination confirmed injuries consistent with strangulation, and DNA evidence linked Trakselis to the crime.
His phone was recovered nearby by the victim’s friend.
Trakselis, of Townsend Lane, Tuebrook, initially gave a no-comment interview but later admitted to rape, assault causing actual bodily harm, and theft.
He has a prior UK conviction for theft from a car in 2018 and served a six-year sentence in Lithuania for assault.
The victim described past violence from men but said this incident was "something else." She reflected: "In her words she thought she was going to die, she was thinking about her children and how they would take it, and who might tell them why this happened." Now feeling "numb and violated," she is reluctant to go out at night and has experienced nightmares.
Ms Snowdon remarked: "She indicates she will survive as she always has, but doesn't wish for any other woman to go through what she endured." Defense lawyer Jeremy Hawthorne stated that Trakselis’s guilty pleas, which earned him 25% credit for sentencing, were "pretty much his sole mitigation." Hawthorne noted that Trakselis, who has been in the UK about five years and is from Lithuania, had engaged in factory and construction work and some charity activities during his time here.
He also pointed out a letter from friends asserting that the attack was inconsistent with the man they knew, but admitted: "It does not disguise the fact this was a terrible offence." Judge David Aubrey, QC, addressed Trakselis directly, saying: "You became agitated and extremely violent, firstly because you could not get an erection.
You then grabbed her by the throat and violently pushed her to the ground.
It’s clear you started to throttle her and continued strangling her after telling her to be quiet.
When she fought back, she lost consciousness." The judge explained that a doctor’s report confirmed the injuries resulted from beating, punching, and strangulation, and that the rape happened during her unconscious state.
He highlighted the victim’s vulnerability, the severity of the assault, and Trakselis’s attitude toward sex workers in a pre-sentence report, describing him as "dangerous" under the law.
Furthermore, the judge noted Trakselis’s additional humiliation of stealing money after the attack.
He commended the victim’s courage in coming forward.
Trakselis was sentenced to nine years in prison, with an extended three-year license, meaning he must serve at least six years before being eligible for release, contingent on the Parole Board’s assessment of risk.
He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.
After sentencing, Detective Inspector Lisa Milligan from Merseyside Police’s Unity team emphasized the seriousness of the crime, stating: "This was an utterly despicable attack and we welcome that Trakselis is now behind bars.
While no sentence can repair the pain he caused, I hope he reflects on his actions during his time in custody." She commended the victim for her bravery and said: "I hope this sentence reassures others who have suffered sexual offences that, if they come forward, we will provide thorough and sensitive investigations." Police partners such as Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) and the Red Umbrella Project work alongside the police from referral through court proceedings, supporting victims every step of the way.
