Taxi Driver Online

Yob mayhem at busy Taxi ranks is commonplace throughout the country and thats why many of us just drive past these yobs. Here's a sorry incident that happened last December at a Sunderland Taxi rank which saw a teenage boy sexually assaulted by a soldier.

I hope the soldier gets a taste of his own medicine while enjoying her Majesty's pleasure.
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THE JOURNAL (Newcastle, UK)

September 2, 2006 Saturday

HEADLINE: Life for soldier who raped youth of 17

BYLINE: By Hugh Macknight, The Journal

A soldier who raped a 17-year-old boy during a night out in Sunderland has been jailed for life.

Royal Artillery engineer Lee Beadall was branded "dangerous and sinister" by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court, who yesterday imposed an indefinite jail term to protect the public.

The 25-year-old, who was stationed at Osnabrück in Germany, had denied two charges of rape and a third charge of causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent but was found guilty by a jury's unanimous verdict.

Beadall, of no fixed abode, lured his victim down a back street close to Debenham's in Sunderland City Centre where he subjected him to a prolonged and horrifying sexual assault.

The Sunderland teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, then walked to the city's Gill Bridge police station to report the attack, which happened on December 30 last year. Judge Michael Cartlidge told: Beadall: "You were convicted by a jury of three offences. You alleged at trial your victim had consented to what happened.

"But the jury believed the victim's account. This is an extremely serious set of offences.

"A completely innocent 17-year-old was lured into a private place where you used violence to attack him and penetrated him and caused him to engage in sexual activity.

"You seem to me to be someone who is extremely dangerous and sinister.

"It seems to me perfectly obvious that the court has to impose, in a case as serious as this one, a sentence of imprisonment for the public protection. This is, in effect, a life sentence."

Beadall must serve at least six years before he will be considered for parole.

Judge Cartlidge said a statement from the victim and from his family made clear the devastating impact the attack had on the boy. "It is quite plain that the victim has suffered terribly from what has happened. "It should not surprise anyone that he has been traumatised.

"He had been enjoying himself with friends in Sunderland when he found himself in a taxi queue with the defendant.

"The defendant lured him into a back alley where he was pushed over and threatened, `Don't move or I'll slit your throat'.

"He was made to remove his trousers and underwear to his ankles and then the offences occurred."

The court heard well-built six-footer Beadall, who was dressed in an open necked white shirt and grey suit and who shook his head as he was taken down, still refused to accept his guilt for the attack.

Judge Cartlidge said: "I must acknowledge that the victim has been enormously courageous in coming forward to give evidence in the first place, and in withstanding the cross examination.

"The jury acknowledged unanimously that he was telling the truth.

"I was enormously impressed by the way he gave evidence. I hope he can look forward to the future - he has his whole life ahead of him."

The victim and his family were in the public gallery as Beadall was jailed.

The boy's mother said: "We are pleased with the outcome. We are happy he has been sent to jail.
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