21-year-old man jailed for life for brutal graveyard rape

A violent rapist has been sentenced to life in prison for a brutal attack which left his victim partially blind and deaf. On 20 September 2015, Alec Lowther,21, followed the 47-year-old woman as she walked to work in Bankside, Hull at 3.45am.

Hull Crown Court heard that the Eastern European woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, passed by Lowther who was sitting on a concrete block next to a caravan site. Simon Waley, prosecuting, said: "She quickened her pace until she was almost running. Despite this he caught up with her."

Lowther approached her and asked the time. When she replied saying she didn't know, he forced her into the cemetery of St Mary's Churchyard, where he battered her until she was unconscious, and stripped and raped her repeatedly.

According to Mail Online,Mr Waley said: "He then jumped on top of her and began to beat her, and he dragged her into a dark corner of that same cemetery. He continued to hit her to the head with his fist and then went to pull off her clothes. She remembers that he had his hand on her throat as he did so. He then went on to rape her. She remembers that he was threatening to kill her, and eventually she blacked out."

Lowther, who is from the traveler community, was under the influence of a cocktail of drink and drugs at the time of the assault. It was revealed that he had been released from prison just five days earlier. He was arrested after DNA taken from the victims clothes and body was found to match his profile.

Police said the savage attack had had a "detrimental effect" on the victim leaving her sight and hearing permanently impaired and suffering facial scarring in addition to the psychologically trauma she suffered.

Lowther admitted three counts of rape, inflicting grievous bodily harm, and robbery.

Sentencing him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 6 years, Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told him: "As the consequences for your victim will be lifelong, so will your sentence. She will always have a reminder of your evil conduct. Her life has been shattered.

"At present, there is a significant risk that upon release you would return to the life of drug abuse. Given that is the catalyst for you committing very serious crimes, including sexual crimes, you thus pose a risk to the public and you are dangerous."

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Cockerill who led the investigation told ITV News: "We welcome the sentence passed today and acknowledge the judge's recommendations. Lowther will now spend a considerable time in custody for the sustained and brutal attack on an innocent victim who was making her daily journey to work – he has changed her life irreversibly for which he is now rightly brought to justice."