Man jailed for attempted rape

David William Collier

A man who carried out a vicious attack on a Heywood man and then attempted to rape his victim has been jailed.

David William Collier (born 21/03/1989), of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted rape, assault and theft at an earlier hearing.

On 1 March he was jailed for eight-and-a-half years at Minshull Street Crown Court.

The savage attack happened at the victim's home in the Heywood area in the early hours of Saturday 29 September 2012.

Collier, who was known to the victim, knocked on the man's window and asked him to return some property he had been storing on Collier's behalf. However, before he could return the items, Collier had climbed in through the kitchen window.

Without provocation, he then punched, kicked and head-butted the victim and even struck him across the head with a coffee jar, leaving the victim with a nasty cut to his head.

Collier then attempted to rape the man.

Afterwards, he calmly went into the living room and consumed two soft drinks while watching TV until he fell asleep. So frightened was the victim, he sat on an old TV until Collier awoke and left.

The victim later confided in a friend and a police investigation was launched, leading to Collier's arrest.

Detective Constable Chris Maddocks, from Greater Manchester Police's Serious Sexual Offences Unit, said: "Collier subjected the victim to a terrifying and prolonged attack, both physical and sexual. One can only imagine the torment at having to watch his attacker calmly watching TV after the ordeal he had just endured.

"He is nothing more than a bully targeting a person who he must have thought he could treat as he wished. Collier deserves every minute of this prison sentence for putting this poor man what he has been through.

"Only he will know what possessed him to commit such an appalling attack that left the victim feeling numb and unable to initially come to terms with what he endured.

"But rather than focus on the offender, I would like to praise the victim for having the courage to confide in a friend and stand up to this evil bully. He could easily have kept this to himself, but instead he told a friend which in turn led to a police investigation that has ultimately resulted in the conviction of a dangerous man.

"I hope that this encourages other people who may have been victims of this sort of abuse to speak up and come to us as we will do everything we can to ensure your attacker is brought to justice. The Serious Sexual Offences unit is a dedicated unit of experienced staff who are trained to deal with sexual incidents such as this."