Sexual Predator Sentenced to Over 11 Years for Raping Two Women

James Wilkinson, 27, has been sentenced to 11 years and six months in prison for raping two women he met through social media.

In May 2021, Wilkinson met his first victim, a 20-year-old woman, through social media and brought her back to his flat in Wideopen after their first meeting.

The woman, who did not expect to go to his home, felt uneasy and shared her location with family members. Wilkinson then persuaded her to watch TV in his bedroom before raping her.

On May 24, 2021, a similar incident occurred when Wilkinson arranged to meet a second woman, then 18, for a date. After arriving at his flat, he insisted she watch TV with him before going out for food as planned.

He then raped her twice. Both women left Wilkinson's flat shortly after the attacks and reported the incidents to the police.

Wilkinson, of Dunston Road in Gateshead, was arrested and charged with three counts of rape. He denied guilt, claiming the sex was consensual, and boasted about meeting women through social media.

Wilkinson was found guilty of all three rape charges after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court. He appeared before Durham Crown Court on June 3, 2023, where he was sentenced to 11 years and six months in prison.

He was also handed a restraining order forbidding contact with both victims and ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register indefinitely.