Killer raped Bristol woman while out on parole
A convicted killer has been found guilty of raping a woman in Bristol while on parole.
Mark Shirley subjected his victim to a "petrifying" rape ordeal in a bid to re-enact elements of the murder he committed 22 years ago, Bristol Crown Court previously heard.
-
Killer Mark Shirley raped a Bristol woman while out on parole
The 39-year-old imprisoned the woman in her own home, raping and sexually assaulting her at knifepoint for three and a half hours, the court heard.
Shirley, who was living in Richmond Road, Easton, was found guilty of one count of false imprisonment, one count of rape, three counts of assault by penetration and one count of committing false imprisonment with the intention of committing a sexual offence.
The jury was previously told Shirley was convicted of murdering 67-year-old Mary Wainwright when he was just 16 years old, in Cardiff in 1987.
He was handed a life sentence but was released on parole after 16 years in 2003. He was later recalled to prison for excessive drinking but released again in August 2008.
It was after his second release from prison, on March 20 this year, that Shirley committed the attack.
During his trial Shirley told the court no such attack took place, though he admitted being with the alleged victim at the time the offence is said to have taken place.
The Honourable Mr Justice Royce remanded Shirley in custody, pending a report, until sentencing on December 15.
Rosaleen Collins, prosecuting, told the court: "The idea any of us or our loved ones would be the subject of a sexual attack in the street would be probably one of our collective greatest fears.
"To be the subject of a serious sexual assault in the privacy of your own home, within the comfort, security and hub of your family life is probably one of anyone’s greatest nightmares.
"March 20, 2009, to (the woman), at the hands of this defendant, was her greatest nightmare. He targeted her in her own home and he abused her in quite the most repulsive of ways."
9 Comments
View all
by David, Dunoon
Monday, January 25 2010, 10:50AM
“I read an article in the Daily Mail last week regarding this monster.His latest victim has bravely waived her right to annonimity in order to highlight the absurd legal system in the uk. This creature commited an horrendous crime of rape torture and murder at 16 years of age. WHY was he EVER released. The lady who he attacked was incredibly lucky not to have been murdered,although what she endured at the hands of that evil man will probably haunt her through her life.Thank god she has a supportive loving family to help her. I just hope that 6 years from now we are not reading of yet ANOTHER atrocity commited by this vermin. Im sure i speak for millions when i wish the lady involved peace and happiness in her future life.”
by max09, Bristol
Friday, November 20 2009, 2:05PM
“I know Mark Shirley. I have known him a few years now and 2 of my very close friends engaged into a relationship with him. There was a group of us that all hung out, and he had us all believe that when he was 16, some of his friends robbed a post office. They had shot a man and hit an old lady over. He told us he went to help them after his friends told him what they had done and the lady died, so he got done for murder as he was at the scene when police arrived. He was so believable and we all felt sorry for him. 1 of the group was in a relationship with him, and when she ended it he got put into prison for drink driving and she has felt guilty for that ever since. The prison sentence he was released from in 2008 would have been a 3rd release as he was put away about 4-5 years ago. We thought it was strange how his bail hostel was full of sex offenders and murderers and he made us believe he was put in that 1 by mistake. On his release he then got into a relationship with a 2nd girl from the group who was much younger than him. That lasted about 1 to 2 years so he then got into another relationship for his 3rd prison sentence. I feel so disgusted by this proves you do not really know who people are nowadays.”
by Steve, Glastonbury
Saturday, November 14 2009, 2:38PM
“This is one example of where the Chinese approach is justified. i.e. a bullet in the back of the head!”
by who me, bristol
Friday, November 13 2009, 11:03PM
“who is this fat cat judge! he should hang his head in shame, who released him on parole, they should be sacked for such a poor decision. Its about time these judges should be made accountable for some of their lenient sentences.”
by Emma, Bristol
Friday, November 13 2009, 6:34PM
“Surely they cannot consider ever releasing this man again. To commit such an awful crime at 16 should have sent alarm bells ringing as to what evil he had inside him. Then to repeat the same thing 22 years later in the same way he did at 16 shows he sat in prison thinking about his next victim and surely will again if he knows he will be once again released. Some people cannot be cured of the sickness in their head, the only way to keep people safe from him is to never let him out. I hope the judge considers whether he would sleep well at night if the man was free to live on HIS road when he considers his parole in the future.”