Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Samuel Osborne

Cyclist who sexually assaulted 15 women and girls aged 11-57 jailed for four years

A cyclist has been jailed for four years for sexually assaulting 15 girls and women, including a 11-year-old girl. 

Daniel Randall-Coles, 25, from Southampton, committed 17 sexual assaults over three weeks in January. 

Randall-Coles cycled alongside his victims, who were often walking alone at night, and groped them. 

Daniel Randall-Coles, 25, from Southampton, committed 17 sexual assaults over three weeks in January (Hampshire Police)

Police launched a public appeal, releasing CCTV footage of Randall-Coles approaching and assaulting a 12-year-old girl while she was on her way to school.

He handed himself in at Southampton Central Police Station on 31 January. 

Randall-Coles pleaded guilty at Southampton Court on 4 March to 15 counts of sexual assault on a female and two counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching.

Police released CCTV footage of Daniel Randall-Coles, which led to him handing himself in (Hampshire Police)

Detective Sergeant Matt Barcraft-Barnes, from the Western Investigations Team, said: “This was a complex investigation with numerous victims all reporting sexual assault by a stranger, described in the same way, in various locations within Southampton, in a very short amount of time.

"We received a large number of reports in quick succession, which we swiftly consolidated to concentrate on bringing in one man.

“With the help from media and the public, Randall-Coles found himself having to present himself at a police station on January 31, less than 24 hours after we released his image."

He added: “Randall-Coles was brazen and arrogant in his approach to committing these crimes, targeting victims aged 11-years-old to 57-years-old across the city for his own gratification. I hope the sentencing here today goes some way to giving the many victims closure.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.