Klintis Duarta, aged 28, has been sentenced to six years and eight months’ imprisonment with an extended licence period of four years at Liverpool Crown Court after admitting to serious sexual offences against a woman in Southport.
The incident occurred on Sunday, 21 June 2026, when the victim was walking into a block of residential flats to visit an acquaintance.
The court heard that Duarta, a Mozambican national visiting the United Kingdom from Portugal, targeted the victim as an unknown stranger, trailing her into the premises before launching a sustained sexual assault in the ground-floor communal hallway.
During the attack, Duarta attempted to rape the woman, but the victim courageously fought him off, forcing him to terminate the assault and flee the scene.
Merseyside Police launched an immediate search, tracking Duarta to Liverpool John Lennon Airport the following day, Monday, 22 June, where officers intercepted and arrested him as he attempted to board a flight out of the country.
In a victim personal statement read to the court, the survivor detailed the enduring mental trauma: “I have previously suffered with nightmares anyway however since the incident I often have nightmares about the incident whereby I find I wake up feeling panicked with a sense of anxiety that last for hours. Since the incident I now take extra caution and care when entering any building. I ensure that I have checked the area first before opening the door and making sure that this has closed behind me and no one else has come through. I am aware that these things happen however you don’t usually believe that it would be on your doorstep let alone happen to yourself.”
Duarta appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, entering formal guilty pleas to:
- Attempted rape
- Sexual assault
Detective Superintendent Siobhan Russell, of Merseyside Police, stated: “This was a relentless and sustained assault on a woman who was simply going about her day and visiting a friend. To be targeted in this manner by a complete stranger is utterly appalling. The victim has showed immense courage throughout. She managed to fight off Duarta during the incident and then went on to support the prosecution. As she detailed in her VPS, this has clearly had a huge impact on her life and I sincerely hope she can recover from what happened.”
The judge sentenced Duarta to an extended determinate sentence consisting of six years and eight months (80 months) in prison custody, alongside a four-year extended licence period.
Release Calculation: Under UK sentencing legislation governing extended determinate sentences for serious sexual offences, statutory release at the halfway point does not apply. Duarta is required to serve a mandatory minimum of two-thirds (53 months / four years and five months) of his custodial term in prison before becoming eligible to submit an application to the Parole Board for release on licence. If granted release, he will remain subject to licence conditions and supervision by the Probation Service until the conclusion of the extended 10-year and eight-month sentence.
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