Brutal rapist pinned screaming victim down and assaulted her in ‘ways beyond comprehension’

Allan Kerr was jailed for 20 years by a judge who said the 33-year-old’s ‘brutish behaviour’ left the woman degraded.

His brave victim collapsed in tears after giving evidence at his trial at Portsmouth Crown Court.

Kerr denied the assaults ever happened but a jury refused to accept his protestations of innocence and convicted him of three rapes and three sexual assaults on the one victim that all took place in the wider Portsmouth area.

There was no indication in a psychiatric report or in character references written by friends that gave any indication he was capable of carrying out brutal sex attacks.

The victim, praised as ‘immensely brave’ by police, is ‘constantly looking over her shoulder’ after he made threats ordering her not to tell anyone, the court heard.

Addressing Kerr, judge David Melville QC said: ‘These were awful offences, displaying brutish behaviour. You acted brutally towards her.’

Kerr raped her three times and sexually assaulted her by groping her, the court heard.

Prosecutor Rebecca Fairbairn added said the victim felt telling police was ‘as tough as going through the actual events’. She added: ‘In the two years of investigation and trial she had her life on hold and felt her life was being picked apart.’

A psychiatric report revealed ‘no insight’ into why Kerr, who has no previous convictions, carried out rapes, the judge said.

Between the incidents Kerr ‘bit her face and slapped her,’ the prosecutor said.

Kerr had violently raped her claiming ‘he had needs’. The defendant, now of Dorset Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, also ‘got on top of her, pinning her arms above her face and forced’ himself on her, the prosecutor said.

Judge Melville said character references from Kerr’s friends painted a ‘remarkably different’ picture of him but added: ‘They really don’t help me.’

He said the only mitigation he could find was that Kerr was younger when he carried out his attacks.

Mark Kessler, mitigating, said the psychiatric report was ‘remarkable for being unremarkable’.

He said: ‘There’s nothing on the face of it, apart from certain issues when much younger, which would lead anyone to believe that this sort of offending was in the offing. It presents a totally different picture.’

Investigating officer PC Tom Light said: “Firstly I would like to thank the victim who showed immense courage and bravery when initially making this report to us.

‘Secondly, I’d like to remind people that we take reports of this nature very seriously and we know how difficult it can be to take that first step in reporting it to us.’

Women victims can call Portsmouth Area Rape and Abuse Counselling Service (Parcs) on (023) 9266 9511 and men can call (023) 9266 9516. Call the sexual assault referral centre, Treetops, on 0300 123 5661. For more see parcs.org.uk and treetopscentre.co.uk