Man jailed for attempting to rape a woman in front of her child in a park
A man who grabbed a woman in a park in broad daylight and attempted to rape her while she was with her young son has been jailed.
John Whitfield, 37, of Layton Close, Birchwood, Warrington, grabbed the woman from behind at around 1.55pm in July 2024.
She was in the park in Warrington with her young son and spotted Whitfield shortly before the attack. He was then with a friend but left about ten minutes later.
Five minutes after that, he reappeared alone, came up behind her and forced her into a wooded area, sexually assaulted her and tried to rape her.
She kicked and bit him and tried to get free while her son was screaming nearby. She managed to get free, grabbed her son and fled. She spotted that Whitfield’s phone was on the ground and she grabbed that too. He shouted to her, “Where’s my phone?”
The victim approached a woman who was near the park. The woman comforted her and called the police. The victim gave police a description of Whitfield.
Whitfield was traced via his phone which was analysed by police officers. He was arrested a few hours later and taken to a police station.
He was charged with attempted rape, sexual assault and assault by penetration and pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court on 28 August 2024.
He was sentenced today (28 February 2025) at Liverpool Crown Court to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of 4 years 137 days before he can be considered for parole. He will also be on licence indefinitely when he is released so will be returned to prison if he reoffends.
The Crown Prosecution Service successfully applied for a restraining order to prevent Whitfield from ever contacting the victim again. The Judge imposed this to last indefinitely.
In a statement to the court, the victim described how the assault has left her feeling emotionally overwhelmed and tearful. She still suffers physical pain and is scared to go out alone and lives in fear of something similar happening again. Both the victim and her child have needed counselling following the attack.
Pauline Newrick, a specially trained lawyer in CPS Mersey-Cheshire’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) unit, said: “This was a shocking sexual assault on a woman in broad daylight in full view of her young son.
“She had been playing with her son in the park and spotted Whitfield shortly before. He was with a friend and left the park but then decided to come back and, within minutes, was subjecting his victim to a terrifying ordeal.
“As is so often in these cases, both the victim and her child are struggling to come to terms with what happened on that day and get back to some sort of ‘normal’.
“The victim is determined to do this and also help her son to do the same. It’s hoped that the successful conclusion of this case will help with that.
“The Crown Prosecution Service would like to thank her for her help in building the case and bringing the man who put her through this to justice.
“We would also like to thank the woman who came to her aid in the park and helped with the prosecution. Without their help, we wouldn’t be able to do our job.”