A man from Pudsey has been sentenced to 21 years in prison after being convicted of rape and coercing a woman into sexual activity with multiple other men.
The Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Unit of West Yorkshire Police initiated their investigation in autumn 2022 following the victim’s report that she had been raped by Cleveland Wyatt and several additional men, along with being severely assaulted.
Investigators conducted inquiries into the reported incidents and took both Wyatt and another man into custody in March 2023.
After working with the Crown Prosecution Service, both individuals faced multiple sexual offence charges.
At Leeds Crown Court in February, after a trial, Wyatt was sentenced to 21 years in prison. He received convictions for rape and two counts of coercing the victim into non-consensual penetrative sexual activity with other men.
Despite thorough investigative efforts, police were unable to locate the other men who participated in the crimes.
Investigators provided ongoing support to the victim throughout the investigation and court proceedings. She was permitted to give her testimony through special measures that involved pre-recording her account and cross-examination to minimize the emotional burden of the court process.
Wyatt, aged 62 and residing on Ederoyd Drive in Pudsey, will serve his sentence and has been added to the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.
The victim submitted a written statement to the court describing her ongoing psychological distress. She explained that immediately following the attacks she experienced constant anxiety and nervousness, with significant sleep disruption and recurring nightmares. She stated she frequently dreams about being raped, which feels like reliving the trauma. She described feeling afraid and anxious when reflecting on the incident, becoming emotional when discussing what happened.
Detective Chief Inspector Lisa Jones, leading the Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Team which operates under the force’s Programme Precision initiative targeting serious and organised crime, stated that investigators constructed a thorough case file during a difficult investigation, leading to Wyatt’s conviction. She emphasized that the victim’s bravery throughout the process was commendable and noted that the profound psychological harm caused by Wyatt cannot be overstated, expressing hope that his conviction provides some measure of justice for her.