An Redcar Paedophile, Oliver Goddard, assaulted an underage girl on a Teesside beach, attempting to rape her by pinning her to the ground.
At the age of 19, Oliver Goddard sexually raped and attempted to rape a youngster while concealed in the long grass on Redcar beach. The so-called “helpless” victim managed to escape only because Goddard was startled by a phone call from her father during the harrowing assault.
In a poignant victim impact statement, the youngster expressed her fear of leaving the house and her inability to go anyplace independently. She resorted to self-harm and continues to experience panic attacks nearly three years after the assault.
Teesside Crown Court heard how Oliver Goddard, who is now 21, had met the teen for a walk where they spoke about how the vulnerable girl was struggling with a stressful time. They arranged to meet the following day and they walked along the beach until they lay down in a section surrounded by tall grass.
As they spoke, Oliver Goddard kept moving her legs across his body and when she moved them he’d get angry with her and put them back. Summarising the case, Judge Paul Reid said: “You began kissing her neck and she kept trying to move away from you.”
Oliver Goddard put his hand behind her neck so she couldn’t pull away. The sexual assault continued and he pushed her down, hands around her neck so she had her head on the ground.
“She was scared. There was nothing she could do,” said Judge Reid. “You were much older than her and much bigger than she was.
“You were disturbed by her phone ringing – it was her father. You jumped up and this time she was able to get away and left.”
Oliver Goddard, of Durham Road, Redcar, was found guilty by a jury of attempted rape, sexual assault and engaging in sexual communication with a child.
Flashbacks
In a victim impact statement, read out by prosecutor Robin Turton, the teenager said: “I couldn’t sleep as well as I could before what happened – it was going over and over in my head. It went on for some time, I went to the doctors and was prescribed anti-depressants.
“I had a phobia of leaving the house and I needed to be with someone all the time.” The court heard the teenager’s education was affected as she struggled to return to school and when she did found it difficult to stay in lessons.
She began to self-harm and said: “It’s been almost three years and I still have panic attacks.” She also can’t go to the beach as it causes flashbacks.
Oliver Goddard had claimed the sexual activity was consensual and said in evidence that he believed she was 16 – claiming he only told police he thought she was younger because he was “forced”.
Robert Mochrie, mitigating, said: “This is his first experience before the courts. He himself suffers psychological ailments and has been diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder. It is something he has to live with and work with to move forward.”
The court heard there was a “significant difference in age” and the author of a pre-sentence report commented that he was in denial and had “little victim empathy”. After the attack, he text the teenager and apologised blaming an injection which gives him too much testosterone.
He also told her that if she told anybody he would kill himself but the girl bravely spoke up and disclosed what had happened. Goddard had also sent nude pictures of himself to the girl.
Judge Reid said he believed Oliver Goddard did pose a significant risk and handed the defendant an extended sentence “to protect the public in the future”. Goddard was jailed for seven years and will serve an additional three years on licence. An indefinite restraining order and notification requirement – sex offenders’ register – was made.
Oliver Goddard heard he must serve two thirds of his sentence before he will be considered for release. Investigating officer Catherine McKenzie said: “Firstly I’d like to praise the victim in this case for her courage in coming forward and throughout the judicial proceedings.
“Oliver Goddard preyed on a teenage girl who was sexually assaulted before he tried to rape her. He took advantage of the young girl and pleaded not guilty throughout the trial.
“Oliver Goddard will now he will spend a significant time behind bars due to his actions. Any victims of sexual assault or sexual offences can contact the police with the confidence that they will be believed and supported and that a thorough investigation will be carried out.”
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