OAP raped by inmate released on licence (From Thisisdorset)

OAP raped by inmate released on licence

12:00pm Saturday 12th January 2013 in Latest By Harry Hogger

A MAN has admitted raping a 60-year-old woman in Weymouth.

Thomas Alan John Passoni, 22, admitted three counts of rape against the same victim on December 21 last year when he appeared at Dorchester Crown Court via a video link yesterday.

Passoni, who had been released on licence for a previous attack on a pensioner, also pleaded guilty to charge of sexual assault, again relating to the same woman and the same date.

Passoni, dressed in his prison uniform, spoke only to confirm his name and enter his guilty pleas.

The court was told he had one previous conviction for burglary and assault in 2009.

Prosecutor Stuart Ellacott said he was sentenced to five years in a young offenders’ institution for those offences.

He added: “It was a case where there was a 77-year-old victim in the property and he forced his way in.”

Mr Ellacott said Passoni had subsequently been recalled on licence as a result of the latest allegations.

Lee Christmas, representing Passoni, asked for an adjournment for reports to be prepared and said his client was aware he was facing a ‘substantial sentence’ as a consequence of his admissions.

Passoni, of East Weare Road, Portland, was remanded in custody while a pre-sentence report and a psychiatric report are prepared.

He will return to court to be sentenced on Friday, February 15.

Inspector Les Fry of Weymouth and Portland Police welcomed the guilty plea and said he hoped Passoni would receive a sentence that reflected the severity of his crimes.

He said: “This was a very nasty and distressing incident for the victim. We are very pleased to have the conviction and we hope that the appropriate sentence will be imposed to reflect the seriousness of the crimes and the trauma it has caused. Dorset Police treats all sex offences very seriously and we are committed to making Dorset a safer place to protect our community.”

Insp Fry also said he hoped people with tendencies to commit disturbing crimes would learn to seek the help that is available to them.

He added: “There is support and mechanisms in place for people with such tendencies and we want to prevent people from becoming victims.”