A man who threw his jumper in a skip as he fled the scene after committing serious offences against women in Liverpool city centre has been jailed after officers found his DNA on the clothing.
Shaun Hobson, 25, of Ashford, in Kent, was sentenced today, Friday 2 May, at Liverpool Crown Court to nine years in prison after being found guilty of intentional strangulation, attempted kidnap and two counts of common assault with the intent of committing a sexual offence.
He will also be placed on the Sex Offender Register for life.
Hobson was caught out after he tossed his jumper into a skip as he ran away, but eagle-eyed officers spotted him and were able to seize the clothing and make a positive DNA match.
The incidents occurred on Sunday 6 October 2024 when Hobson approached a woman near Tabley Street at around 2am and grabbed her by the throat. Thankfully a member of the public saw what happened and intervened and Hobson fled the scene.
Around ten minutes later, Hobson followed two women into a car park at around 2am and grabbed them both. During the shocking incident, Hobson grabbed one of the women on her waist, mouth and face. Thankfully they were able to get away from him and he subsequently fled the area.
An investigation was launched and following CCTV inquiries, officers were able to identify Hobson and he was arrested on Tuesday 15 October in the Kent area.
One of the victims in this incident said in her Victim Personal Statement (VPS): “I couldn’t walk anywhere alone for a long time, and when I eventually could, I had to constantly be on the phone to someone. Some days I would suddenly be filled with dread and freeze, with no obvious trigger. I had always felt so independent and now I was afraid to do anything alone. I was angry – he had no right to take this away from me.”
“I am sharing this not only to tell my story, but to acknowledge the long-lasting effects I have to live with. I am still healing, and it will take time. I am learning to trust again, but it’s hard, and some days it feels like I’m never going to get back to the person I used to be. But I will not let this experience define me, and I will continue working on finding the strength to move forward.”
One of the other victims in this case said in her VPS: “In the weeks after the attack, I found it was impacting my personal and work life. I remember the first time I found myself going to leave my home, I could see people walking past outside, it made me turn back around and stay in.
“I have felt unsafe everywhere I have been, in places I should, and previously have felt safe in. I feel he has taken this from me. The whole attack has left me mentally scarred.”
Detective Sergeant David Hughes said: “This was a shocking series of events which have clearly had a lasting impact on the three women and I sincerely hope that Hobson’s sentencing can bring them some comfort.
“A dangerous predator is now behind bars and by removing him from our streets we have made our communities a safer place.
“People should be able to visit our city centre without any fear of being a victim of – or even witnessing – such appalling incidents such as these.
“I want to reassure our communities that Liverpool remains one of the safest cities in the UK to enjoy a night-out and as a result is awarded Purple Flag status every year, and we want visitors and residents in the city centre to feel safe at all times.
“We have a range of measures in place to protect the public, including a proactive policing operation with plain clothed and uniformed officers tasked with people displaying signs of predatory behaviour, and to disrupt those who present a potential risk.
“We work closely with licensed premises and taxi drivers whose unique positions enable them to provide very useful observations.
“Bar staff are also trained to spot the signs of predatory behaviour and safeguard people affected. We also work closely with partners including local authorities, universities, public health and support services to maintain an environment in Liverpool where people can go out and return home having had a wonderful night without incident.
“Information from the public is also vital, so if you ever witness or become aware of any suspicious behaviour, please let us know and we will act.”
To report a sexual offence you can call 101 where you will be spoken to by specially trained officers or you can pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always call 999.
If you have been a victim of sexual assault or rape, you can access specialist support services, which are free of charge and available to anyone. You do not need a referral or to have reported an incident to Merseyside Police before you access these specialist support services.
These services can support you in a variety of ways, including offering a confidential discussion if you are thinking of making a police report, but are unsure what that involves and would like to discuss it.
If you do decide to report to Merseyside Police, you will receive support throughout the investigation, court process and beyond.
You can choose to make an anonymous report through the Sexual Assault Referral Centre called Safe Place, or the Independent Sexual Violence Advisor service, rather than coming directly to Merseyside Police.
With no police involvement, a specialist doctor at Safe Place can examine you to check that you are ok and look for DNA evidence, which they will store to support your case. This gives you the option of making a formal police report at a later time, if you choose to.
Support is also available in Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral, from Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (RASA) Merseyside who are available on 0151 558 1801 and, in St Helens and Knowsley, by the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC) Cheshire and Merseyside who can be contacted on 01925 221 546 or 0330 363 0063.
If you do not require immediate police assistance, then you can report rape and sexual assault via our website here:
Support is also available through the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Victim Care Merseyside service: Home: Victim Care Merseyside
We recently launched our Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) campaign to put the voices of women and girls at the heart of our work to tackle VAWG. You can find out more about the campaign here: www.merseyside.police.uk/vawg
