In 2013, the Offender Database recorded that Vincent Cooper, then 41, of Gavel Walk, Hollin, Middleton, was sentenced for the sexual assault of a teenager. On appearing at Rochdale Magistrates’ Court in January 2013, the defendant was handed a community order following an earlier hearing where he was found guilty of sexual assault. It was reported that the attack occurred in the summer of 2012, when Cooper followed the victim to her home after consuming several cans of lager.
The investigation established that Cooper entered the victim’s house and launched a predatory attack in her own bed. Greater Manchester Police reported that Cooper asked the teenager for a “proper kiss” while stroking her back before attempting to force his tongue into her mouth. The prosecution reported that as the victim tried to escape, Cooper held her down and touched her chest, an act that caused the teenager and her family significant distress.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the victim was in a particularly vulnerable state at the time of the assault, having recently suffered a miscarriage. Rochdale Magistrates’ Court heard how the teenager eventually managed to flee to her mother’s home. The investigation established that Cooper, who was unemployed at the time and had no similar previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the initial kiss but was found guilty by the court for the sexual touching of the victim’s breast.
Chairman Malcolm Bywater and the bench opted for a community-based sentence, which led to members of the victim’s family storming out of the court in anger. For his actions in Hollin, Cooper was handed a community order with a three-year supervision requirement. The judge noted the impact on the victim but directed that compensation be handled by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority rather than the court, while ordering Cooper to pay £300 in costs.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the crimes reported in England, the status of Vincent Cooper is as follows:
- Sentence: Community order with three-year supervision (2013).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were activated.
- Programme Requirement: Mandated to attend a sex offender treatment programme.
- Costs: Ordered to pay £300.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Rochdale Magistrates’ Court following a Greater Manchester Police investigation.
- Criminal Record: Sexual assault.
- Origin: Gavel Walk, Hollin, Middleton, Greater Manchester.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Cooper is managed by the National Probation Service in Greater Manchester. Due to the nature of his conduct in Hollin, which involved following a teenager to her home and assaulting her in her bed, his management includes participation in a structured programme for sexual offenders. Authorities state that his inclusion on the Sex Offenders Register and the three-year supervision period are essential tools to ensure he is monitored within the community and that his behaviour is subject to oversight by probation officers.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Cooper must comply with all notification requirements regarding his identity and residence. Authorities state that his history of sexual assault in Middleton necessitates vigilance. Any future attempt to approach the victim or engage in further inappropriate behaviour in Hollin or elsewhere will result in immediate arrest and a return to the court system for a potential custodial sentence.
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