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Daily Record
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Mark Naylor & Chloe Burrell

Serial predator laughed at victim and boasted of rape 'hat-trick'

A "dangerous" and "manipulative" serial predator laughed and callously told his third victim: "I may as well rape you. I'm off to prison anyway so I may as well make it a hat-trick."

Craig Gladwin, 32, has been locked up for life after he raped three petrified women, strangled two of them, wrapped a belt around one woman's neck and was "excited" by "power control".

Gladwin will spend at least 11 years and eight months behind bars before even being considered for release, reports Hull Live.

Hull Crown Court heard how he was "already under investigation" for at least one of the earlier rapes and "knew exactly what he was doing" at the time of the third.

The court was told how he had left all three women with severe psychological problems that had wrecked their lives.

Gladwin admitted raping three women in June 2018, September 2018 and February last year.

The court heard how Gladwin was excited by power control (Humberside Police)

Mark Kellet, prosecuting, said that Gladwin became aggressive and angry with his first victim, including slapping the woman's face hard.

He smashed her phone and made sexual advances, the court heard. He had wrapped his belt around her neck but she managed to get her hands under it before he tightened it.

She told him: "Please don't do this."

The court heard how Gladwin started to become aggressive again, spat in her face and raped her.

The woman said: "Stop. Please stop."

But Gladwin put his hands around her throat with his full weight on her, the court heard, and she tried to push him away before pretending to be unconscious.

"He slapped her twice and asked her why she was pretending to be unconscious," said Mr Kellet.

With the second victim, Gladwin called her a slut and became insulting and angry, the court heard.

"He put his hands around her throat and started strangling her," said Mr Kellet.

She became dizzy and lost consciousness. When she came round, Gladwin told her: "You're not leaving this house alive."

He smashed her phone against a wall and she was "absolutely terrified" as Gladwin raped her, the court was told.

Neighbours telephoned the police and the woman was able to mouth "Help!" through a window.

She later told police: "He doesn't understand the word 'No'."

Gladwin warned his third victim that she could not leave the house they were in and told her to kiss him.

He told her: "Well, to be honest with you, I may as well rape you. I'm off to prison anyway so I may as well make it a hat-trick."

Gladwin had a "wicked laugh" and gloated: "I'm scaring you now, aren't I? I'm scaring you."

She asked: "What do you want from me?"

He said: "Sex, I just want sex from you" but she repeatedly said that she wanted to leave. Gladwin twice raped her.

His victims described having nightmares in the aftermath of the attacks, suffering from severe anxiety and even feeling "numb".

Gladwin had a conviction for assaulting police in August 2018 and had cautions for assault causing actual bodily harm in 2003 and assault in 2012.

Lewis Kerr, mitigating, said that Gladwin pleaded guilty and "did not chance his arm" by fighting a trial. He felt "regret and shame" for his behaviour and he could "only regret" what he had done.

He had anger management issues and was confronting and addressing his behaviour.

Gladwin had shown good conduct while in custody on remand and had shown understanding and insight into his behaviour.

Recorder Richard Woolfall said that Gladwin was "already under investigation" before he committed the third rape but "knew exactly what he was doing".

It was an "extreme case" of its type and Gladwin had used "manipulative" behaviour, the court was told.

"I remain very worried about the risk that you present," said Recorder Woolfall.

"The psychological impact of these offences on each of your victims is severe and is ongoing and will remain so."

Gladwin strangled his first two victims and the third woman was detained and unable to leave until he had raped her.

"You enjoyed all that was associated with raping your victims," said Recorder Woolfall.

"The incidents were terrifying, violent and/or prolonged. This can only be described as a campaign, albeit single incidents of sexual offending.

Gladwin has been jailed for life (Hull Live)

"You are very dangerous.

"Offences of rape are offences of sexual violence against women.

"You knew that what you were doing was very wrong and you continued.

"Power control is what excites you. The risk of you raping [again] is very high. You are a serious danger to the public."

After Gladwin has served a minimum of 11 years and eight months, less 531 days from his remand in custody, it would be up to the Parole Board to decide if he was safe to be released.

"The Parole Board will assess everything about you," said Recorder Woolfall.

It was "impossible to safely predict" when Gladwin could be released from prison and it might be that he would never be released, the court heard.

He had pleaded guilty and charges involving a fourth woman had been dropped.

"They were spared the ordeal of giving evidence," said Recorder Woolfall.

Gladwin, from Londesborough Street, Selby, also admitted damaging the mobile phones of two of the women.

He will have to register for life as a sex offender.

All three women were in the public gallery for the case.

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