Bricklayer jailed for 10 years for Easter Sunday rape
A bricklayer who plied a teenager with alcohol before raping her in broad daylight on Easter Sunday has been jailed for 10 years.
Andrew Percival, 38, got the 14-year-old drunk on wine, which he had encouraged her to steal from a nearby Tesco supermarket, before he attacked her in Alexandra Park, Tolworth, on April 24.
The schoolgirl “blacked out” from drinking the bottle but awoke to find Percival, who had been drinking vodka, having sex with her.
When she resisted, the father-of-one told her: “You know you want this as well”, to which she replied: “No. I’m too young”.
A woman, who witnessed the attack, shouted at Percival to “get off her” before helping the girl get to a police station.
Self-confessed alcoholic Percival was arrested and charged with rape two days later after being awoken by police from a drunken slumber in a Tolworth car park.
At Kingston Crown Court on Friday, August 19, having pleaded guilty, he sat impassively, arms folded, wearing a purple polo shirt while prosecutor Catherine Purnell outlined the details of the attack.
Percival, who has a string of previous convictions including a 13 month prison sentence for GBH in 1991, remained emotionless as Judge Andrew Campbell handed down the decade long prison term, speaking only to acknowledge his daughter in the public gallery.
In his summing up Judge Campbell described the rape as a “dreadful case” that was “exacerbated” by the fact the victim was a virgin and was now “afraid to go out alone”.
The victim’s father said the defendant had “got what he deserved” before leaving the court with friends and family.
CPS London reviewing lawyer Mandy Mercer said: “This was a serious sexual offence against a minor whereby the victim was plied with wine and then raped in a public place.
“I would like to pay tribute to the courage of the victim in coming forward to report this crime and hope she can take some comfort from this individual being brought to justice.”
On top of the prison term, Judge Campbell ordered Percival be barred from living with or having contact with any female under the age of 16 without the approval of social services.
He was also placed on the dangerous offenders register and will have to sign the sexual offenders register for the rest of his life.
