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Burglar who raped and sexually assaulted Manchester student jailed for 20 years

Police called the incident a "truly horrific ordeal".

Emily Sergeant - 1st September 2023

A man who broke into a Manchester student’s residence and raped her has been jailed for 20 years, it has been confirmed.

today (31 August 2023) been sentenced to 20 years in jail with a further 5 years on license after release.

33-year-old Courtney Adams, of Chichester Road in Manchester, raped and sexually assaulted the 19-year-old woman after breaking into an address on Cavendish Place at around 5:30am on 29 November 2022.

The victim awoke to find Adams in her room “holding a knife to her face” and “demanding cash and valuables”, according to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) reports.

Earlier on the night of the attack, Adams had also broken into another victim’s address on Greater Western Street armed with a crowbar – with the victim having heard Adams breaking in and proceeding to flee the house to “seek assistance from her neighbours” after seeing him.

Whilst the victim was gone, Adams then “tore through her home” and stole numerous things – including debit cards, handbags, and more – and after making unsuccessful attempts to use the stolen cards in a late-night convenience store, he then made his way to Cavendish Place.

On gaining entry to the property in central Manchester, Adams took a knife from the kitchen and went into a bedroom.

What then followed is what police have called a “truly horrific ordeal”.

Adam’s pressed the knife to the 19-year-old victim’s face and threatened to harm her if she didn’t hand over valuables and cash, and so, distressed and in fear of her life, the victim gave him a quantity of cash, but he still proceeded to ransack the room looking for more, before going on attacked, sexually assault, and rape her.

Left “immediately traumatised” by what had happened to her, the victim called a friend and together they contacted the police.

Upon receiving reports, GMP straight away launched an investigation to “rapidly-locate” and arrest the man responsible for this “horrific attack”.

The search operation involved extensive house-to-house enquiries, several appeals to the general public for information, and reviewing hundreds of hours of CCTV and other footage.

Following appeals for information, officers were provided with compilations of CCTV by members of the public and using this footage, they were able to piece together the events of that night and follow the movements of the man later identified as Adams.

Investigators also discovered till receipts on the grass near Cavendish Place, which showed Adams attempting to use the stolen credit cards in the shop and linked him to the other burglary that had taken place earlier that evening on Great Western Street.

Investigators consulted the Greenheys Neighbourhood Team who, on viewing CCTV, identified Adams as the suspect.

This led to a warrant at Adams address, and following this phone work was completed which yielded crucial evidence that put Adams directly at the scenes at Great Western Street and Cavendish place during the times when the offences took place.

After investigators discovered information linking to Adams’ earlier crimes in the night, a warrant led to his address, and on 4 December 2022, he was arrested.

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He was then charged a short time later, and remanded until trial.

Following this rape conviction, yesterday (31 August), Adams was sentenced to 20 years in jail with a further five years on license after release, GMP has confirmed.

Featured Image – GMP