Lewis Dean Pearce, the Southampton Rapist, a 23-year-old man, has been sentenced to six years in prison for the rape of a woman at Colden Common in 2021.
Lewis Dean Pearce, residing on Gort Crescent in Southampton, appeared at Guildford Crown Court today (1 October) after being convicted of rape on 6 August 2025, following a four-day trial.
On 25 April 2021, the court was informed that the victim, a lady in her twenties, was visiting a friend’s residence on Elder Green when she awoke to discover Lewis Dean Pearce engaging in sexual intercourse with her.
Lewis Dean Pearce was indicted for rape in February 2024.
DC Jack Droy, from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Criminal Investigations Department, said: “I would firstly like to commend the victim’s bravery and tenacity in this case. This has been a long investigation, and I would like to thank her for her support during the investigation and court process. I hope this result is able to bring her some closure.
“Lewis Dean Pearce’s actions that night are intolerable; targeting a woman as she sleeps is not acceptable, and we will work tirelessly to bring these types of predatory offenders to justice.
“We take all allegations of rape and sexual assault seriously, and have specially trained teams that can investigate these offences and provide support to victims. If you have experienced these kinds of offences, it is our promise to you that you will be heard and listened to, and your report will be believed. We are determined to put victims first and relentlessly pursue offenders.”
We want to encourage anyone who has been affected by any crime of a sexual nature to contact the police on 101, where you can speak to an officer in confidence.
We recognise that not everyone has the confidence to talk to the police about what they have experienced. Please be reassured that there are other services available that can offer you specialist support to help you deal with the impact of abuse.
For information and contact details relating to sexual abuse support services, you can visit our dedicated web page: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/support-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault/
Ask for this Crown Court sentence to be reviewed and extended here – https://www.gov.uk/ask-crown-court-sentence-review
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the people highlighted on this website, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report to Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.