Shaun Hobson, 25, from Ashford in Kent, has been sentenced to nine years in prison after being found guilty of multiple violent offences. On Friday, 2 May, Liverpool Crown Court convicted Hobson of intentional strangulation, attempted kidnap, and two counts of common assault with the intent of committing a sexual offence. He will also be placed on the Sex Offender Register for life.
The crimes occurred in the early hours of Sunday, 6 October 2024. At around 2am, Hobson approached a woman near Tabley Street in Liverpool and grabbed her by the throat. A bystander intervened, prompting Hobson to flee. Just ten minutes later, he followed two women into a nearby car park and attacked them. During this second incident, he grabbed one woman by the waist, mouth, and face. Both victims managed to escape, and Hobson fled once again.
Key evidence came when Hobson discarded his jumper into a skip while escaping. Alert officers recovered the item, which led to a positive DNA match. CCTV footage further helped identify Hobson, who was arrested on Tuesday, 15 October in Kent.
One of the victims provided a powerful Victim Personal Statement, detailing the emotional aftermath of the assault.
“I couldn’t walk anywhere alone for a long time. I had to constantly be on the phone with someone. Some days, I’d be overwhelmed with dread out of nowhere,” she shared. “I had always been independent, and suddenly I was afraid to do anything alone. I was angry — he had no right to take this away from me.”
She continued: “I’m sharing this to acknowledge the long-term effects I now live with. I’m still healing. It’s hard to trust again, and some days it feels like I’ll never get back to who I was. But I won’t let this define me. I’m working every day to move forward.”
