Tony Heath, the Avonmouth Rapist, has received a nine-year prison sentence for the rape of two women he encountered online.
Tony Heath, 28, of Farr Street, Avonmouth, was convicted of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday, October 8.
Tony Heath, convicted by a jury at the same court on 26 September, raped both women at his residence after meeting them on Tinder and Snapchat, respectively.
Tony Heath encountered his initial victim on Tinder and, after several days, brought her to his residence, where he sexually abused and subsequently raped her; however, she ultimately managed to escape by kicking him away.
Tony Heath reached out to his second victim via Snapchat and, after several hours, invited her to his residence to view a film. She consented, and he thereafter assaulted her.
The women, who were aged in their late teens and early 20s at the time of the offending, were supported throughout the investigation and trial, and were referred to support services for victims of sexual offences.
One of the women said in a statement which was read in court: “To this day I have thought about it non-stop, although everyone said, ‘just don’t think about it’, but it is all I do. I went over what happened and felt like I was to blame, and I deserved it.
“But I was put in that situation by him; I was powerless, and I froze. He took every bit of dignity from me.”
The second woman, who had her statement read out on her behalf in court, said: “A couple of days after this happened, I started having nightmares. I had nightmares where I would be back there, in the room, and I couldn’t get him off. Now, more than six months later, I am still having these nightmares multiple times a week.
“I now struggle with all physical contact with men, including those closest to me, and I can’t let my dad or cousin hug me anymore. While I am relieved that I went through the investigation and trial, it doesn’t change what he did to me, the impact it is still having on me, which will continue for the rest of my life.”
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