Northamptonshire sex attacker left girl, 17, fearing she would be raped and killed

A convicted sex offender assaulted a 17-year-old Northamptonshire girl while she slept in her own bed.
Sumit Shah has been jailed for sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl.Sumit Shah has been jailed for sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl.
Sumit Shah has been jailed for sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl.

Sumit Shah, 31, of Rockingham Road, Kettering, was jailed at Northampton Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to sexual assault last year.

The court heard that Shah had been out drinking with the victim’s father on the evening of September 15 and had agreed to sleep on their sofa.

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He asked to use their downstairs toilet but instead went upstairs and into the victim’s room at about 6.30am the following day.

The girl woke to find Shah on her bed and touching her sexually, before a struggle followed which saw them both fall off the bed.

Shah then pinned her down and put his hand over her mouth to stop her screaming.

It was only when the victim’s mother entered the room after hearing muffled screaming that her terrifying ordeal ended.

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Prosecuting, Lisa Hardy told the court the girl thought she was going to die.

She said: “She described the incident as being very, very frightening.

“She was struggling to breathe. She reported to the officer that she thought he was going to kill her and rape her.

“She said she was relieved that she was not raped and that her mum had saved her.”

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The court heard that Shah was jailed for six years in 2008 for two counts of rape after conning his way into a young girl’s house by pretending to be a gas man.

Mitigating, Pippa Woodrow said Shah had learned a lot in prison but had had his life swayed in recent times by drink and drugs.

She said: “There is very little I can or should say.

“He was out of his mind on drink and drugs.

“He is absolutely appalled by his actions.”

His Honour Judge Stokes QC jailed Shah for four years with four years on extended licence.

He will not be eligible for parole until he has served two-thirds of his sentence.

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Judge Stokes said: “This child had no interest in what you were about but you persisted.

“When she screamed you continued to use violence on her.

“It’s going to take her a very long time to recover from your illegal actions.

“You pose a significant risk, particularly to young women.”