A RAPIST from Carlisle has been branded "evil" after he bullied a woman he met online into meeting him so he could attack her.  

Ryan Neale, 23, was today jailed for seven years and seven months after he pleaded guilty to raping his terrified victim in a car park after he had effectively "blackmailed" her into meeting him, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

Judge Nicholas Barker told him he must serve at least two thirds of that jail term.

After the case, Detective Constable Hein Van Der West joined with senior prosecutors in commending the courage of the victim, while saying of the defendant: "Neale is an evil man who failed to accept any responsibility for what he did until the very end."

In court, prosecutor Hannah Forsyth outlined how in late 2021 Neale contacted the woman via the Snapchat social media site.

Initially, the defendant and the woman had got on well during their online contact and at some stage they exchanged sexual images before arranging to meet up in October 2021, the court heard. 

But before that happened, the woman searched for Neale on Facebook and noticed he was younger than she had realised and so she cancelled the meeting.

Neale began threatening the woman saying she would have to pay him £100 or have sex with him. If she didn’t, he would share the sexual images on social media. Despite her protests, Neale demanded she choose an option.

Terrified that the private images might be released, and having no money the woman reluctantly agreed to meet Neale – and it was at this point that Neale raped her, the court heard. There was clear evidence that she did not consent.

The woman agreed to meet Neale only because of his threats, said Miss Forsyth.

Later that same night Neale contacted her again and demanded money. The woman contacted the police.

When he was arrested, Neale accepted that he had met with the woman but denied that he had raped her. But he later accepted his guilty, pleading guilty.

The court also of the profound impact this offence on the victim. She was no longer able to work and struggled to sleep as the attack played over in her mind again and again.

Brett Gerrity, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offence Unit said: “Ryan Neale, who threatened and raped the woman in pursuit of his own sexual gratification, initially denied any wrongdoing. However, we worked closely with police to build a robust case and he has now admitted responsibility for his actions.

“I would like to commend this brave woman for coming forward and speaking about what happened to her. I hope she can now start to rebuild her life.

“I hope her courage will encourage other survivors to come forward and seek justice.” Neale will be on the Sex Offender Register for life.

Detective Constable Van Der Westhuizen said that Neale, of Lingmoor Way, Harraby, had initially lied to the police and been deceitful throughout the investigatoin process. "This was a terrible ordeal for this woman and the threats made placed her under extreme stress," said the officer.

“I want to thank her for coming forward and commend her bravery, courage and support for the investigation throughout this extremely difficult, life-changing process. All crimes such as this are treated seriously and with sensitivity.

“We understand that not everybody who has suffered sexual assault or rape wants a police investigation or to go court.

"It is really important that everyone knows that there are support services available should they need them, whether or not there is a criminal investigation.

“If you have been the victim of a rape or sexual assault, we would always encourage you to report it to police, so that we can ensure you are put in contact with the appropriate support service.

“Your report will be taken seriously and investigated by specialist officers should you wish.

“However, there are a large range of support services that can be accessed regardless of whether you have reported a crime to the police or not.”

WHAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE?

A list of services available in your postcode area are summarised here: https://sexualviolencesupport.co.uk/

HOW DO I REPORT TO POLICE?

* If you wish to report to police you can do so online at www.cumbria.police.uk/report-it

* You can also phone on 101.

* Always phone 999 in an emergency or if a crime is in progress.

* Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.