A man has been jailed for attempting to rape a woman as she made her way to work, and for exposing himself to two others, in Chesterfield.
Jake Mills, of Boythorpe Road, was found guilty of attempted rape and two counts of indecent exposure following a trial at Derby Crown Court.
He approached a woman, aged in her 20s, who was walking to work in the Chesterfield area early one morning in November 2020.
The 21-year-old started trying to make conversation and walked with her until they got to a jitty. He then followed her and grabbed hold of her.
Despite the woman saying no and resisting, he repeatedly tried to force himself on her.
She managed to get away and meet a friend before reporting what happened to police.
In September 2021, while Mills was under investigation, officers received reports from two women, aged in their 70s and 80s, of a man who had exposed himself to them in the Chesterfield area.
He had followed them in his car, exposed himself and told them he wanted them to carry out sexual acts on him.
Officers were able to link Mills to the offences thanks to the descriptions of him and his car, along with CCTV, and he was arrested, charged and remanded in September 2021.
He was subsequently charged with attempted rape in relation to the incident in November 2021 as a result of forensic evidence.
Mills was sentenced yesterday (Tuesday 19 April) to eight years imprisonment, plus he must serve four years on extended licence.
He was also put under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will last 18 years. It bans him from approaching lone females he doesn’t know and from driving any vehicle which he hasn’t registered with the police.
Mills will also be on the sex offender register for life.
In her victim impact statement, the young woman said that since the event she suffers panic attacks, has lost confidence, and has anxiety and depression. She also said that she still has nightmares and flashbacks of what happened.
Detective Constable Joseph Collard of our Public Protection Unit was the officer in charge of the case. He said: “I would like to thank all of the victims who came forward to report these incidents to police, and for their courage to give evidence in court.
“This result couldn’t have been achieved without the strength and bravery of the victims who have been greatly affected by this ordeal. Hopefully in time they can recover, but the scars of these sexual offences will run deep.”
DC Collard added: “I would encourage anyone who has been a victim or witness to a sexual offence to contact police. Specially trained officers will provide advice and ongoing support.”
If you or someone you know has been the victim of rape, sexual assault or another sexual offence please reach out for help and support.
We have recently added a Rape and Sexual Assault reporting tool to our website. Here you can report something that’s happened to you, or to someone else. To access it, visit: https://www.derbyshire.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/v1/rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/
You can report anonymously, without giving us your details. We won’t judge you; we’ll treat you with respect, and we’ll always put your health and wellbeing first.
Alternatively, you can contact us using the following methods:
- Facebook – send us a private message to our Facebook page
- Twitter – direct message our contact centre via @DerPolContact
- Phone – call us on 101
If you are not ready to talk to the police then you can contact a range of different partner agencies who will provide you with support, advice and medical help.
For information, details on how to report and to find out the support services available in Derbyshire, please click here: https://www.derbyshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/
