Man jailed for violent sexual assaults against three women in St Ives
A 38-year-old man has been jailed for 20 years for a series of violent sexual assaults against three women in St Ives, Cornwall, last year.
In October, after a seven-day trial at Truro Crown Court, Clinton Ferreira, pictured, was found guilty of eight serious sexual offences including rape and attempted strangulation. He was sentenced today, Friday 27 November.
Ferreira, who is originally from Durban, South Africa, but has lived in Cornwall since 2011, had previously pleaded not-guilty to the charges against him, which related to incidents in August, September and October, 2019.
Detective Inspector Steve Hambly from the Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “I welcome today’s sentence, after what has been a most disturbing case that has investigated some truly despicable offending.
“I’d like to complement the enquiry team that brought this matter to court; their hard work has helped achieve today’s result, despite the fact the convicted man would accept no responsibility whatsoever for his actions.
“But most of all, I’d like to pay tribute to the three brave women who had the courage not just to report the crimes against them, but also to give evidence at trial. It’s their bravery that means that Ferreira can pose no further threat to the women he encounters for the foreseeable future.”
Jill Macnamara, District Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) South West, said: “This was a series of violent attacks against three women by a man who has shown no remorse for his appalling actions. Today’s sentence reflects the severity of these offences.
“The CPS and police are committed to delivering justice to the victims of rape and sexual offences.
“We want victims to have confidence that their case will be fully investigated by the police and that, in every case where there is sufficient evidence, the Crown Prosecution Service will charge and prosecute.”
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