Rapist Jailed for 18 Years After Strangling and Imprisoning Victim

Lee Jones, 46, from Leeds, has been sentenced to an 18-year extended sentence for the brutal attack and imprisonment of a woman in Knutsford, Cheshire.

Jones subjected his victim to two separate attacks, during which he used a knife to threaten her and her family. In the first attack, he strangled the woman before threatening her family with a knife. He was arrested on February 26, 2022, after she managed to contact her family and ask them to call the police.

During police interviews, Jones initially claimed that the sexual encounter was consensual and that the strangulation marks on the victim's neck were a result of this consensual sex. However, he later pleaded guilty to two counts of rape.

On March 1, 2023, Jones pleaded guilty at Chester Crown Court to two counts of rape, sexual assault by penetration, false imprisonment, and causing actual bodily harm in relation to the strangulation.

On April 19, Jones was sentenced to 12 years in prison with an extended licence of six years. He was also given a sexual harm prevention order and ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

Det Cons Andrew Cole, of Macclesfield CID, said: "Lee Jones subjected his victim to a horrendous level of sexual and physical abuse. Thanks to the bravery of the victim in disclosing what Jones had subjected her to, he has been brought to justice for his heinous actions."

"I am delighted that he is now behind bars, where he cannot pose a threat to society. While the victim will never be able to forget what Jones subjected her to, I hope that the culmination of this case and the sentence that has been handed out by Chester Crown Court gives her some closure and enables her to move forward with her life."

Ch Insp Matt Lager, of Macclesfield Local Policing Unit, added: "Sexual offences, particularly rape, are horrendous crimes and this is a particularly distressing case. I would like to thank all the officers involved in the investigation for their hard work in gathering the required level of evidence to ensure that Lee Jones is made to face the consequences of his actions in the form of a substantial prison sentence."

"I hope that this case encourages other victims of sexual offences to come forward and report them to us."