'An act of extreme sadism': Grandmother raped outside Yorkshire shopping centre by sex attacker who then 'mutilated' her body with knife

Kevin Lemm was given a life sentence today by a judge who described the attack as "an act of extreme sadism."Lemm, a convicted sex offender, lay in wait for his victim in Castleford town centre armed with a Stanley knife.

He punched the grandmother to the ground outside Carlton Lanes Shopping Centre as the woman made her way home from a night out with friends.

The 37-year-old then dragged her into a shop doorway where she was raped.

Lemm turned the woman over and inflicted knife wounds to her body, buttocks and genital area.

The woman later described to police how Lemm and cut her "like a piece of meat."

Brian Russell, prosecuting, said Lemm inflicted the knife wounds for 15 minutes as the victim pleaded with him to stop.

He said: "She was telling him that she was a grandmother and asked him about his own family."

Lemm swore at the woman and called her a b**** throughout the attack.

He threatened to kill her if she told anyone about what had happened.

Leeds Crown Court heard Lemm then robbed the victim of belongings including bank cards, cash and keys.

He also took the victim's underwear before leaving.

The victim was helped by members of the public who saw her bleeding after she got up and tried to walk home.

The attacked happened on the night of January 3 this year.

Lemm was arrested hours later at his home on Denton Terrace, Casteford, after police were helped by members of the public.

Officers forced their way into the property and found Lemm asleep in bed.

His room was searched and the victim's stolen property was recovered.

The woman's underwear was found stuffed inside a snooker cue case.

Clothing was also seized and was found to contain DNA evidence linking him to the attack.

Police traced the route home that Lemm was likely to have taken after the attack.

The Stanley knife was recovered from a wheelie bin which contained the victim's blood.

The victim was taken to St James Hospital in Leeds where she had to undergo surgery.

Mr Russell said the woman continues to suffer from post traumatic stress disorder.

She has panic attacks and flashbacks about what happened to her.

The victim was not present in court for the sentencing hearing.

Mr Russell read out a statement on her behalf in which she described how she continues to be in pain and struggles to walk due to her injuries.

Shortly before the attack, around 10.20pm, Lemm had stormed out of a pub in Castleford town centre when a female member of staff refused to serve him after he made sexual remarks towards her.

Lemm said to the woman: "You are beautiful. You will be mine.

"I will treat you right and I will make sure of it."

Mr Russell said the woman found his behaviour "creepy" and he slammed a door after he was refused service.

The landlord then posted an image of Lemm on a Whatsapp group for publicans to warn them of a potential troublemaker.

The image later helped police identify Lemm as he was wearing work clothing including a hi-viz vest and a distinctive cap.

The court heard the defendant worked for a local building distribution firm.

Members of the public also told police that they had seen Lemm trying to avoid police patrol cars as he walked through Castleford.

Lemm pleaded guilty to rape, wounding with intent, robbery, having a bladed article in public and making threats to kill.

The court heard Lemm is local to the area where the attack took place and has three previous convictions for exposure.

Two of the offences involved him exposing himself to women from his bedroom window as they walked past his home.

The third offence, which took place in 2014, involved him exposing himself to a 62-year-old woman after tricking his way into her home by asking to borrow a cup of sugar.

Richard Canning, mitigating, said: "These are clearly horrific offences and custody must follow.

"He regrets what he did and he regrets harming somebody.

"That combined with his plea is evidence of remorse."

Judge Tom Bayliss QC told Lemm he must serve a minimum of nine years in prison but warned the defendant he could face much longer in custody.

The judge told Lemm he would only be released from custody if the Parole Board no longer considered him to pose a risk to the public.

Sentencing Lemm, Judge Bayliss said: "I am quite sure that you planned to attack a woman, and were carrying a knife for that purpose.

"You waited for an opportunity and when you saw (the victim) you attacked her without mercy.

"I am quite sure that you planned to attack a woman, and were carrying a knife for that purpose.

"It was a sadistic attack. The circumstances of the accompanying assault in which you used a knife, carried with you for no lawful purpose, to inflict serious injures upon her genitalia, permit of no other conclusion.

"Even the robbery was sexually motivated; you took her underwear which you concealed in your room.

"You have pleaded guilty. But you show little insight into what you have done, and minimised your culpability to the probation officer.

"Whilst expressing regret for what you have done to your victim to the probation officer, it was in the context of suggesting that your drink had been spiked.

"I am quite sure that you knew what you were doing.

"Even assuming that there will be long term work done in prison with which you may engage, it is not possible in my judgement to say with any degree of confidence when you will no longer be dangerous."