Predatory rapist who targeted lone teenager at Merseyrail Station jailed for 12 years-Video

A sexual predator who subjected a teenage girl to an “abhorrent” rape at Liverpool Lime Street railway station in February has been jailed for 12 years and three months following a British Transport Police (BTP) investigation.

William John Ormandy, 31, and of Derby Court, Church Road, Merseyside, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court via video link on Friday 18 March where he pleaded guilty to rape.

This afternoon (25 April) a judge sentenced him to 12 years and three months imprisonment. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

On handing down the sentence at Liverpool Crown Court, the judge said he was satisfied that Ormandy “deliberately targeted a lone 18-year-old and isolated her, showing a significant degree of planning”.

At just before 2am on Sunday 6 February, Ormandy approached, and started talking to, the victim as she searched for a taxi to take her home.

He said, “you’re gorgeous” and asked where she was going as he followed her towards Liverpool Lime Street station’s taxi rank.

A short while later he said “give me a kiss” to which she told him no, he then grabbed her and tried to kiss her.

The court heard how at just after 2am he pulled her into a service alleyway near the station and continued trying to kiss her as she pleaded for him to let her go.

Ormandy then raped the victim and left the location, leaving her in a distraught state.

CCTV footage showed him running away from the scene of his crime down nearby Pudsey Street.

The victim was discovered a short while later by three women who helped her into a taxi home.

A major investigation was then launched by BTP detectives to trace and arrest Ormandy.

On Wednesday 16 February Ormandy handed himself in at St Anne Police Station and was arrested on suspicion of rape. In interview he stated he consensually kissed the victim three times and denied raping her.

In a statement the 18-year-old victim explained how she must take medication in order to sleep and described the impact of the rape.

She said: "Since the incident l have not left the house unless I am accompanied by a family member. I don’t like to be left alone. I need to know where my family are at all times, and I often sleep in same bed as my sisters.

"There have been times that my mum has held me whilst I cry. I am awake at all times in the night having showers, washing myself.

"The incident has had a devastating affect on my education. I had been aspiring to go to university, but I have failed all my university interviews. I had clear ambitions and dreams, now I don’t know what the future holds for me."

Senior Investigating Officer in the case, Detective Inspector Granville Sellers, said: “Despite claiming he didn’t commit the offence in interview, Ormandy is undoubtedly an opportunist sexual predator that preyed on a vulnerable girl and subjected her to a sickening ordeal.

“He realised the net was closing in as my team worked round the clock to apprehend him and he subsequently handed himself in.

“The physical and emotional impact his despicable crime has had on the victim cannot be underestimated. She showed incredible bravery to report his actions to us, and we continue to support her as Ormandy faces his adequately long stint behind bars.

“While crimes like this are extremely rare on the railway, they will never be tolerated. I hope his quick journey between committing the abhorrent crime and being convicted serves as a stark warning to sexual predators – we will catch you and promptly bring you to justice.”

CCTV footage shows Ormanndy running away from the location immediately after the incident: