A man, Luke Plant, the Hertford Rapist, has been incarcerated for over 10 years after being convicted of several sexual offences.
Luke Plant, 27, of Westfield Road, Hertford, was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on Friday, November 29, 2024, after a three-week trial.
Subsequent to an inquiry conducted by Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Sexual Offences Investigation Team (SOIT), he was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment for the following offences:
- One count of rape
- One count of digital penetration
- Two counts of sexual assault
The individual received an additional two-year extended licence after being classified as a dangerous criminal, resulting in a total of 11 years of incarceration. Luke Plant must serve a minimum of two-thirds of his sentence prior to the consideration of parole.
The incidents transpired from March 2015 to January 2020, affecting three distinct victims.
Luke Plant was acquitted of one charge of inducing an individual to participate in sexual behaviour without consent.
Regarding a fourth victim, Luke Plant was acquitted of one charge of assault by penetration and one charge of attempted sexual assault.
During the trial, Judge Ian Stern KC said: “You are a predator, your behaviour is predatory and reckless and there is a high risk of you causing harm to the public.”
Detective Constable Jane Swift, from the Sexual Offences Investigation Team, said: “The brave victims that have come forward deserve enormous credit for their part in getting Luke Plant sentenced for his crimes.
“We hope that the sentencing of Plant can help bring some closure to the victims of his abhorrent crimes.
“It can be an incredibly difficult experience to report incidents of sexual offences but be assured that we take reports of these offences very seriously, and we will do everything we can to ensure that victims feel like their voices are heard and that offenders are brought to justice.
“Anyone wishing to report a sexual assault will always be treated sensitively and with respect by us. We recognise how difficult it must be but please be assured we have specially trained officers who can help you every step of the way.”
Becoming a victim of sexual assault is never your fault. If you’ve been a victim, no matter how long ago the offence occurred, please report it. We have specialist officers on hand to provide advice and support throughout an investigation. The constabulary also has a number of officers who are specially trained to provide support to members of the LGBT+ community.
You can report information online, speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat or call the non-emergency number 101.
Anyone in Hertfordshire who has experienced sexual abuse or sexual violence can contact the Herts Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) for practical and emotional support.
To contact Herts SARC, call 0330 223 0099 or visit the Herts SARC website.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, 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 at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.