Lincs: Prisoner found guilty of rape while he was on day release from jail

Alan Wilmot, 49, originally from London, was jailed at the Old Bailey in 1987 after he was convicted of raping four women and carrying out a series of robberies.

A jury at Lincoln Crown Court heard that he was serving in North Sea Camp in September 2013 when he was allowed out on day release. He met up with a local woman and went back to her flat with her friend.

Gordon Aspden, prosecuting, said the two women were tied up and then Wilmot violently raped one of them while the other was forced to watch

Wilmot, who was only a few weeks away from being released permanently, went on the run afterwards but was detained by police two days later in Hendon, North London.

He did not give evidence during his trial but in police interviews he denied rape saying he had previously had consensual sex with the victim.

Wilmot was convicted by the jury on an 11-1 majority of charges of rape, attempt rape and assault by penetration. The jury also found him guilty on an 11-1 majority of two charges of false imprisonment, four charges of making threats to kill and a further charge of committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence. He was acquitted of one charge of rape and a further charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Wilmot, who has since been transferred to a secure prison, was remanded in custody to await sentence.

At the end of the trial Judge John Pini QC asked to see prison records relating to Wilmot. He said “In my view he is a deeply manipulative prisoner. If he has hoodwinked the parole board I am greatly concerned.”

“This is a very disturbing and worrying case. I am very concerned as to how anybody could ever have thought it was safe to release him but they did.”

The jury was told that Wilmot first contacted the victim when he responded to an internet advert placed by his alleged victim on the “Pets4Home” website when she was selling a dog.

Mr Aspden, said: “HMP North Sea Camp is Category D open prison. It is situated at Freiston just outside Boston. The prison’s open status meant that the authorities allowed its inmates to enjoy far greater freedom and privileges than would normally be the case.”

“One such freedom involved prisoners being allowed day release into the community on condition that they returned to the prison voluntarily in the early evening.”

Mr Aspden told the jury that Wilmot was allowed out of the prison at 9am on Sunday 15th September 2013 for the day on condition he return at 7pm.

Wilmot contacted the rape victim and arranged to meet her and some of her friends at a pub in Boston. Mr Aspden said Wilmot had a rucksack with him and asked the woman if he could keep it at her flat for safekeeping. She was unsure and asked a friend to come with them in her car.

Mr Aspden said shortly after the three of them arrived at the flat Wilmot asked the woman’s friend to go to a nearby shop for him. Moments after leaving the flat the friend heard “the most almighty crash” coming from inside the property and ran back to find her mate dazed.

Wilmot, who had armed himself with a knife, dragged both women in to a bedroom and tied them up. Wilmot then raped one of the women while the other was forced to watch.

The jury heard that when Wilmot was arrested he told police he had no memory of what happened.

He claimed in interviews that he knew his alleged rape victim because she supplied drugs to prisoners at HMP North Sea Camp.

Wilmot denied rape and claimed he had a previous sexual relationship with the woman. He said he went to her flat to collect some drugs which she wanted him to give to another prisoner.