Leeds man gets 21-year sentence for raping vulnerable woman
The 62 year old was arrested after a woman reported being assaulted in late 2022
A Leeds man has been handed a 21 year prison term for repeatedly sexually assaulting a vulnerable woman.
Cleveland Wyatt, 62 and from Pudsey, was convicted of multiple sexual offences including repeated rape and forcing the victim to to have sex with multiple men.
An investigation was launched in October 2022 after the victim reported being assaulted and raped at Wyatt’s home in Chapeltown, Leeds.
Wyatt was arrested in March 2023 and subsequently charged. He was convicted of four offences at Leeds Crown Court in February, while a co-defendant was cleared.
Wyatt’s convictions include one count of rape of the victim between July 31 2022 and September 1 2022, plus another count of rape on three occasions during the same period.
Additionally, he was found guilty of two counts of forcing the victim to engage in penetrative sexual activity without her consent between September 1 2022 and October 31 2022, involving other unidentified men.
In an impact statement, the victim in the case wrote: “Immediately after all this happened I was anxious and nervous all the time. My sleep has been affected and I have nightmares."
"I often have nightmares that I am being raped, it’s like re-living what happened.
I feel scared and nervous and think about what happened; just talking about this now makes me tear up and feel upset.”
Detective Chief Inspector Lisa Jones, of West Yorkshire Police, said:
"Wyatt preyed on the victim, who was clearly very vulnerable, and cruelly exploited her in the most appalling of circumstances, raping her on several occasions and forcing her into being raped by multiple other men at the same time."
"During what was a very challenging investigation, officers from the Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Team were able to build up a comprehensive evidential picture that has resulted in Wyatt being found guilty at trial.
"Most importantly, we would like to recognise the courage that the victim has shown throughout the investigation and the trial.
"The lasting traumatic impact that Wyatt’s actions have had on her cannot be underestimated, and we hope it will provide some degree of comfort to her to see him brought to justice.
"West Yorkshire Police remains committed to tackling violence against women and girls alongside our partner agencies, and we hope the successful outcome of this case will illustrate that continued aim and give victims of other similar offences the confidence to come forward knowing they will be listened to and supported.”
Wyatt has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.