Rapist jailed after preying on young girls at Northampton's Abington Street statue

A 34-year-old man has been jailed for sex attacks on five teenage girls, after preying on them at a spot where young people gathered.

Alex Coleman was a young adult when he raped or assaulted the girls, who were aged 13 to 17.

Police said he was one of multiple "older men" preying on young girls gathering at the statue in Abington Street in Northampton. The men would form relationships with the girls and groom them.

Sentencing Coleman to 14 years and six months, Judge David Herbert said: “When your victims said no, you just ignored them and pressed on.

"I doubt you fully understand the effect that your sexual offending had on these complainants.”

Coleman, previously of Redruth Close in Northampton, was aged between 18 and 21 when he committed the crimes between 2008 and 2011.

After a trial, he was convicted in October of three counts of rape, six counts of sexual activity with a child, six of sexual assault and three of assault by penetration.

Coleman was arrested in 2020 as part of a wider investigation, called Operation Antigua - which focused on the sexual abuse of young girls, many of whom met their attackers at the Abington Street statue.

The crimes spanned a decade between 2006 and 2016.

It began when one victim opened up about her abuse on Facebook and encouraged others to come forward.

One of Coleman's victims told Northampton Crown Court during sentencing how she "feels sad for her 14-year-old self" when she looks back on what happened. Another said it caused her to become withdrawn at school.

Det Ch Insp Liz Basham, who oversees the operation, said: “Tackling violence against women and girls remains a priority for Northamptonshire Police and we will continue working hard to investigate sexual abuse, bring those responsible to justice, and ensure the voices of the survivors are heard.”

Det Insp Colin Bowers commended the survivors who had come forward for their bravery.

“Although nothing can take away what Alex Coleman did, I hope this result provides these women not only with some closure, but also pride in the fact that their actions have resulted in a sexual predator being jailed for a long time and unable to harm anyone else.

“I welcome the lengthy sentence handed to Coleman [on Friday] and I hope it goes to show the seriousness with which the police and the courts take crimes such as this.”

If you have been a victim of sexual abuse, you can contact police at www.northants.police.uk or call Voice Northants on 0300 303 1965.

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