The man pounced on the woman and sexually assaulted her in the park while her little shouted

The victim kicked and bit her attacker before getting rid and fleeing with her son

A man pounced on a woman and sexually assaulted her in a park while her terrified son shouted. John Whitfield grabbed the victim from behind in a wooded area and tried to rape her while defending himself desperately during the terror attack in July last year.

The victim was in the park with her little son when he saw Whitfield, 37, spending near. Minutes later, it reappeared and was left behind before trying to violate it and commit more sexual aggressions, said Cheshire Constabulary.

The victim defended himself kicking and biting Whitfield. While trying to free himself, his son was shouting nearby. He managed to free himself and grab his son before running to a safe place.

While fleding, he noticed that Whitfield’s mobile phone was on the floor and picked it up before approaching another woman nearby to get help.

The victim gave the police a description of his attacker and Warrington’s response officers made consultations to locate the offender. The telephone collected by the victim helped identify Whitfield and was arrested in the direction of his house in an hour.

CCTV recovered by detectives during the investigation identified the clothes that Whitfield had been using at the time of the attack. Whitfield had changed those clothes when he was arrested, but found the hidden garments behind a shed in his rear garden.

Whitfield was accused of attempted rape, sexual aggression and aggression by penetration and declared himself guilty in the Liverpool Crown Court on August 28, 2024.

He was sentenced on February 28 at the Liverpool Crown Court to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of 4 years 137 days before it can be considered for probation.

If the probation board considers it in a suitable to be released at some point in the future, it will be licensed indefinitely and return to prison if it recounts. He was also given an indefinite restriction order to avoid contacting the victim.

DS Dave Gerrard, from the Cheshire Police, said: “I would like to recognize the incredible strength and courage of the victim and his family throughout the investigation. The victim and the witness who stopped to help her were vital for our efforts to ensure that Whitfield faced justice for this horrible crime.

“Our response officers used their initiative from the moment they arrived at the scene, collecting vital evidence that would quickly take us to the suspect. Our detectives and forensic staff then collected and led the investigation, compiling convincing and overwhelming evidence that Whitfield was the man responsible for this terrible offense, which resulted in his guilt statement.

“Our officers and personnel are a formidable force and I am proud of the case that built against Whitfield. They have ensured that a dangerous individual is in prison where he belongs.

“I hope this ensures residents that when horrible incidents like this, rarely, but unfortunately they happen, we are in the front foot in our determination to protect the public by finding the person responsible for such horrible crimes against women.”