Paul Wilson, a man from Southport, has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for raping three women in distinct events occurring between 2003 and 2018.
Paul Wilson, 44, of Southbank Road, Southport, refuted four charges of rape, two charges of attempted rape, and violence; but, he was convicted and sentenced today, Monday, December 9, at Liverpool Crown Court.
During his trial, the court was informed that Paul Wilson sexually assaulted three women, all in their 40s, during distinct occurrences at various locations in Southport between 2003 and 2018.
After an intricate and protracted investigation, investigators apprehended Wilson and presented evidence that established his culpability for these acts.
Detective Inspector Gavin Mulcahy said: “Paul Wilson is a dangerous predator who targeted three women, but it’s thanks to their bravery that he is now off our streets and facing a significant amount of time in prison.
“Despite denying the accusations and forcing his victims to endure a trial, Paul Wilson was found guilty after we were able to provide the evidence that showed he was guilty of these extremely serious offences.
“I would like to praise the courage and dignity shown by the victims throughout the investigation. Today’s result shows that violence against women and girls will simply not be tolerated and we will work tirelessly to bring perpetrators to justice.
“We are committed to protecting victims of sexual offences, and anyone who reports an incident to us will be safeguarded and supported throughout the investigation by specially trained officers and Sexual Violence Advocates who will provide all the relevant support.
“Anyone that has been a victim of a sexual offence, is concerned for the safety of someone they know or suspects someone to be engaging in this criminal activity, should come forward and speak to us.
“We have a team of dedicated staff who will expertly and compassionately deal with your reports and we will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.”
Anyone with information or wants to report a sexual offence is asked to call 101 where you will be spoken to by specially trained officers or you can pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always call 999.
If you have been a victim of sexual assault or rape, you can access specialist support services, which are free of charge and available to anyone. You do not need a referral or to have reported an incident to Merseyside Police before you access these specialist support services.
These services can support you in a variety of ways, including offering a confidential discussion if you are thinking of making a police report, but are unsure what that involves and would like to discuss it.
If you do decide to report to Merseyside Police, you will receive support throughout the investigation and court processes.
You can choose to make an anonymous report through the Sexual Assault Referral Centre called Safe Place, or the Independent Sexual Violence Advisor service, rather than coming directly to Merseyside Police.
With no police involvement, a specialist doctor at Safe Place can examine you to check that you are okay and look for DNA evidence, which they will store to support your case. This gives you the option of making a formal police report at a later time, if you choose to.
Support is also available in Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral, from Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (RASA) Merseyside who are available on 0151 558 1801 and, in St Helens and Knowsley, by the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC) Cheshire and Merseyside who can be contacted on 01925 221 546 or 0330 363 0063.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.