Sex attacker ‘trawled’ around Northampton looking for vulnerable women

A sex attacker who has been given an 11-year jail sentence after he admitted violently assaulting two women “trawled” around Northampton looking for his victims, a court heard

Mohammed Haque, aged 21, of Lindsay Avenue, Abington, Northampton, was sentenced at Northampton Crown Court yesterday after he admitted carrying out two violent sexual assaults, including one in November and one in January this year

The court heard that Haque targeted his second victim, a woman in her 80s, after driving round the town looking for vulnerable women.

Haque attacked his first victim in the early hours of the morning after he saw her walking near the Racecourse in Northampton.

Victim impact statements from both women, which were read to the court, stated both had suffered a loss of confidence and trust when walking in public.

The first victim said she no longer felt safe walking in Northampton and feels particularly scared if she sees anyone wearing a hoodie or a baseball cap.

The second victim said she still felt “very angry” about what had happened and was struggling to come to terms with the fact she had been attacked in her own home, a place she felt safe.

A team of more than 20 detectives worked to catch Haque after the second attack due to fears that he would target other women in Northampton.

Haque was arrested after it was identified that he had driven a maroon Ford Fiesta and officers spoke to a number of people in the town who drive a car of this type and colour.

In his first police interview, Haque gave false alibis to officers about where he was on the day of the attacks.

However, he pleaded guilty to five charges including, sexual assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence, sexual assault and robbery at a crown court hearing last month.

Judge Michael Fowler, who sentenced Haque to 11 years in jail plus an extended licence period of four years, said he had “no hesitation” in concluding Haque posed a significant risk to the public.

He said: “You chose to attack the woman after trawling for a victim and spotting someone who you thought was vulnerable.

“The victim of the attack was vulnerable and was deliberately chosen by you.”

Judge Fowler said there was no obvious reason why Haque had started committing the offences he described as “truly evil”.

Describing the attack on the woman in the Racecourse, Judge Fowler said: “The attack was every woman’s nightmare. You smothered and dragged away your victim and subjected her to the most frightening and demeaning sexual attack in which you used violence.

“I have no hesitation in concluding that you represent a significant risk of causing serious harm to a member of the public by commission of a specified offence.”

Detective Inspector Lee McBride said Haque identified vulnerable women and committed “heinous offences against them.”

He said: “The successful prosecution today is thanks to the victims, their families and the hard work of the investigative team for their persistence in identifying him.”

Haque will serve at least two thirds of his 11 years in jail before he is considered for parole.

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