Portsmouth man jailed for five years after assaulting teenage girl in a churchyard
A Portsmouth man has been jailed for five years after attacking a teenage girl in a churchyard last year.
Rene Blankson, 22, of Ernest Road in Fratton, was found guilty of assaulting a female aged thirteen or over by penetration with a part of the body by a jury at Portsmouth Crown Court on Thursday, May 1. He was sentenced to five years in prison on August 14, with an additional three year extended license period, and is subject to a restraining order for life.
The assault took place on Saturday, July 20, 2024. The victim, who was 16 at the time, was walking on Fratton Road at around 1.15am when a man she did not know started talking to her. He then assaulted her in St Mary’s churchyard before the girl managed to run away and ask a member of public for help.
Officer in the case detective constable Amy Thatcher said: “This attack has continued to have a significant impact on the victim both physically and mentally. Her bravery in speaking to us and reliving the most traumatic moments of her childhood is to be commended and I truly hope this court result assists her recovery.
“We take all allegations of rape and sexual assault extremely seriously and have specially trained teams that can investigate these kinds of offences and provide support to victims. If you have experienced these kinds of offences, it is our promise to you that you will be heard and listened to. We are determined to put victims first and relentlessly pursue offenders, especially when investigating these kinds of cases”
At the trial Blankson was found not guilty of other offences including sexual assault, and non-fatal strangulation.
A Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary spokesperson said: “We want to encourage anyone who has been affected by sexual assault to contact police on 101, where you can speak to an officer in confidence.
“We recognise that not everyone has the confidence to talk to police about what they have experienced. Please be reassured that there are other services available that can offer you specialist support to help you deal with the impact of abuse.
“For information and contact details relating to sexual abuse support services, you can visit our dedicated web page: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/support-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault/”