A Met inquiry into a semi-professional football player, Reading rapist Nathan Ashton, who sexually assaulted a Romford woman has culminated in a 16-year prison sentence.
Tuesday, 16 July, Nathan Ashton, 37 (30.01.87) of no permanent address, was sentenced at Reading Crown Court.
The lady reported the attack to police, and officials started looking into it. Denying the allegations of rape, Nathan Ashton was taken in for interrogation at a nearby police station and insisted the sex was consensual. The jury came to the opposite conclusion.
Leading the inquiry, Detective Sergeant Ben Wallen said: “Our officers were painstaking in their investigation into Ashton and obtained a favourable conclusion as a result.
“We urge other victims to come forward and speak with our expert officers to assist in removing these frequent offenders off our streets; the victim-survivor is rather courageous revealing this to the police.
“We remain committed to supporting rape victims and safeguarding women and girls from predatory offenders; I would encourage anyone who has been a victim to go to the police.”
Early on February 19, 2023, Nathan Ashton and the woman went to a Shoreditch pub with pals, where the rape happened.
Nathan Ashton gave the woman and her two pals a lift home as they left the bar. She told cops Ashton had been improperly touching her throughout the evening, which left her feeling vulnerable and guarded.
Nathan Ashton remained with the three women when they got to the Romford address. After everyone agreed to go to bed and nodded off in separate rooms, Ashton walked into the victim’s room and sexually assaulted her.
- The Met is tackling violence directed against women and girls more actively. Working with charities and partners within the criminal justice system and listening to victim-survivors, we are making sure every victim-survivor has the confidence to disclose these most horrific crimes.
Our new method of looking at rape centres more on the life of the suspect than on the “credibility” of the victim-survivor. When a victim reports an incident like rape, which police know is already a very stressful period for them, the victim passes through a less invasive process.
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.