Michael Wanless, 41, was found guilty following a trial at Teesside Crown Court after brave residents intervened when they heard the victim’s screams
A sex offender has been found guilty of attempting to rape a young woman whilst she was on her morning run. The victim was hauled to the ground by Michael Wanless on Granwood Road in Eston.
Nearby residents came rushing from their homes after hearing her screams for assistance and chased the attacker until police officers arrested him. Wanless, 41, pleaded not guilty to the charges but was found guilty following a trial at Teesside Crown Court.
The jury took just 35 minutes to convict him of the offence which happened on July 17, 2023, reports Teesside Live. Judge Aisha Wadoodi suggested the courageous members of the public who helped the woman should receive commendations for their actions. Cleveland Police stated their intervention “undoubtedly saved the woman from an even worse fate”.
After the case, a force spokesperson commented: “The man attacked the woman, pulling her violently to the ground but she bravely fought him off whilst screaming for help.
“Several local people came to her aid, chasing the man some distance until he was quickly detained by attending police officers.”
Wanless, of no fixed address, will be sentenced at the same court on January 9.
The news comes after an Afghan national pleaded guilty to raping a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton last week. Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, appeared at Warwick Crown Court on Friday alongside co-defendant Mohammad Kabir, also 23, and changed his plea to guilty for one count of raping a child under the age of 13, which occurred on July 22.
Mulakhil, who is currently without a fixed abode, initially denied multiple charges, including abducting a child, three counts of rape of a child under 13, and two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, during a hearing in August.
In the same hearing, Kabir, also without a fixed abode, denied attempting to take a child, aiding and abetting rape of a child under 13, and intentional strangulation of the girl.
During Friday’s hearing, which was aided by interpreters, Kabir only confirmed his name, while Mulakhil confirmed his name and entered his guilty plea to one count of rape.
The case against the two men, who Warwickshire Police confirmed are Afghan nationals, sparked protests outside Nuneaton’s Town Hall on August 9. Protesters marched along the high street, chanting “Stop the boats” and “We want our country back” while holding St George’s Cross flags and Union flags.
A counter-protest by Stand Up to Racism, which was significantly outnumbered, was also held outside the Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council offices, with placards and a banner reading “stop the far-right”.
The trial for Mulakhil and Kabir is set for January 26. Speaking directly to the defendants, Judge Montgomery declared: “You will both be produced before the court on December 12.”
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