Man jailed for 15 years for coercive control and raping woman at Gosport address

Connor Barnes, 28, of no fixed address on the Isle of Wight, was guilty of two charges of rape and coercive controlling behaviour, which took place between January 2020 and March 2022.

He was remanded in custody until he was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court to 15 years imprisonment and was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

Detective Constable Leanne Boyd said “This is an excellent result and we are very pleased that we have been able to help the victim see the justice she deserves. We commend her not only for her bravery in coming forward, but also for continuing to support the investigation throughout.

“We hope that these results reflect the seriousness with which we take all reports of sexual assault and coercive controlling behaviour, and that we will put victims first and relentlessly pursue offenders, especially when investigating these kinds of cases.”

A police spokesperson said: “We want to encourage anyone who has been affected by sexual assault or abusive behaviour of any kind to contact police on 101, where you can speak to an officer in confidence.

“We recognise that not everyone has the confidence to talk to police about what they have experienced. Please be reassured that there are other services available that can offer you specialist support to help you deal with the impact of abuse.”

For information and contact details relating to sexual abuse support services, you can visit our dedicated web page: 

https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/support-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault/