Andrew Woodhouse, a 48-year-old man from Long Eaton, was sentenced to life imprisonment at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday for a harrowing series of crimes including rape, blackmail, and sexual assault, among others. His vile acts, spanning two decades, victimised five individuals, leaving deep emotional scars.
Woodhouse, residing on Cranmer Street, was convicted of 20 offences following a trial that exposed his heinous behaviour. Despite his denial of most allegations, jurors found him guilty of four rapes, indecent assault, three counts of controlling and coercive behaviour, and various other sexual crimes involving minors. He was also found in possession of extreme pornography, including bestiality videos.
The case came to light after one courageous victim reported multiple rapes in 2019. This led to an investigation revealing Woodhouse’s fixation on another older woman, whom he bombarded with thousands of sexually explicit messages. When she ignored him, he blackmailed her by superimposing her face onto nude images and threatened to distribute these forgeries online and in her neighbourhood, causing her immense distress.
Further inquiries unveiled additional victims. One woman reported being raped by Woodhouse in 2001 and experiencing subsequent violence. Another woman disclosed enduring controlling and coercive behaviour from 2020 to 2021. Evidence also emerged of Woodhouse grooming and sexually abusing a young girl, promising her threats to comply with his abhorrent demands.
The prosecution’s success heavily relied on the bravery of the victims who stepped forward.
In sentencing, Judge Julie Warburton described Woodhouse as an “incredibly manipulative and predatory offender” and emphasised that he was now facing the consequences of his actions.
Detective Constable Stacey Lamb, who led the investigation, commended the victims for their courage, stating, “Their courage has prevented others from being subjected to further harm, and although his actions will always remain with them, I do hope that this sentence can bring them a sense of closure.”
Woodhouse was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 18 years and 329 days. His case underscores the importance of reporting and thoroughly investigating sexual crimes to ensure justice and support for victims. Nottinghamshire Police urged anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault to come forward, assuring that they will be heard and supported.
