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A second man has been jailed for 10 years following the rape of a female in Liverpool City Centre in March 2022.
Kevin Lloyd (above left), aged 38, of Liverpool was jailed for 10 years with a further eight years on licence at Liverpool Crown Court in June last year following a guilty plea to rape.
His co-accused Ryan Dunning (above right), 36, and of no fixed abode, stood trial for aiding and abetting rape and was today, Thursday 5 January, also sentenced to 10 years in prison with a further eight years on licence. In addition, he was given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
On Monday 21 March 2022, at around 1.40am, police received a report from two witnesses, a security guard monitoring CCTV and a passer-by, that Lloyd had raped a female in an alleyway off Parker Street.
Patrols attended and quickly arrested Lloyd at the scene. He was questioned and, following extensive CCTV enquiries, later charged and remanded into custody.
Detective Constables Rebecca Robinson and Loretta Dean, who led the investigation, said, “This was an utterly horrendous attack and we welcome that both Lloyd and Dunning are now behind bars and can no longer cause harm to women.
“While no sentence can repair the pain and suffering they have caused to their victim, I hope that they will both reflect on his despicable actions while serving this significant jail time.
“I would like to commend the victim for the incredible bravery and courage she has shown throughout the investigation.
“I would also like to thank the witnesses who contacted police on the night of the incident so that we could arrest Lloyd swiftly. The judge presiding over the case has indicated they will both be put forward for commendations.
“I hope that these sentences will reassure anyone who has suffered a sexual offence that, if you can find the courage to come forward and speak to us, we will deal with you sensitively and make sure that your report is properly and thoroughly investigated.
“We have specially trained officers in our dedicated Unity Team who will listen and treat you with sensitivity and compassion. There are also a number of reliable and trusted organisations and charities who will support you throughout – from your initial report, through the court process and beyond.
Detective Constable Rebecca Robinson added, “We are committed to working proactively with our partners across Merseyside to reduce violence against women and girls. For example, we work with our local authorities to make sure that public spaces are safe for women and girls and, in April 2021, we also launched Operation Empower, our proactive policing response to preventing sexual violence in the Night Time Economy. We deploy additional officers, in key locations, who are tasked with identifying potential perpetrators who are displaying signs of predatory behaviour.
“I would encourage anyone with any concerns to seek assistance from bar and door staff, speak to our uniformed officers on the streets, or, like the witnesses in this case, contact police so that we can take swift and immediate action.”
You can report a sexual offence allegation by calling 101 where you will be spoken to by specially trained officers or you can pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always call 999.
Merseyside Police, alongside three other forces, have also been part of a pilot project for a new service to report rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences online – with the option to report anonymously.
If you’ve been affected by sexual violence of any kind, support is available through the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Victim Care Merseyside service delivered jointly by two registered charities.
In Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral, support is provided by Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (RASA) Merseyside who are available on 0151 558 1801 and, in St Helens and Knowsley, by the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC) Cheshire and Merseyside who can be contacted on 01925 221 546 or 0330 363 0063.
Image: Merseyside Police
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