Bo Yang, 41, carried out a horrifying five-hour sex attack on a woman at her Lancashire home before using her phone’s Face ID to take money from her bank account
A brutal rapist who subjected a woman to a horrific five-hour ordeal has been sentenced to 23 years behind bars. Bo Yang arrived at the victim’s home shortly after 11pm on April 15 last year, initially striking up a conversation with her.
But the situation quickly deteriorated into a nightmare. Following a dispute about money, the 41-year-old brandished a knife from his pocket, forced the woman next to a bed and cut her clothing.
He then retrieved a metal bar from a bag and savagely attacked her before raping and sexually assaulting her, reports Lancs Live. Yang proceeded to restrain the victim using rope and tape, wrapping tape around her head, before cutting her with the blade.
He then burgled her property, taking bank cards and cash, and even attempted to transfer funds to his own account using facial recognition technology on her mobile phone.
The petrified woman eventually managed to break free when Yang momentarily looked away. She ran to neighbours, who contacted police at 3.46am, bringing an end to a five-hour nightmare of terror.
In a moving statement, the victim revealed she was left battling nightmares and sleeplessness, with both her psychological and physical wellbeing severely impacted.
Yang was identified through CCTV footage and forensic evidence, including fingerprints recovered from the tape used during the assault. In what is thought to be a groundbreaking move for Lancashire, officers also retrieved vital evidence from ‘WeChat’, the Chinese equivalent of WhatsApp.
Yang, of Winn Grove, Sheffield, was detained and subsequently charged with two counts of rape, sexual assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, robbery and possession of a bladed article.
After proceedings at Preston Crown Court in December, Yang was convicted on all charges.
He appeared for sentencing today (February 6) and received a 23-year term – 18 years imprisonment and five years extended licence.
Lancashire Police confirmed that ‘as soon as he is deemed eligible for release by the Parole Board, he is subject to deportation’.
The judge praised the dedication of the officers who secured Yang’s conviction – DCs Jodie Nolan and DC Asad Mirdad, from a Rape and Serious Sexual Assault Team (Rasso).
DC Nolan commented: “I welcome this significant custodial sentence given today. Yang is an extremely violent sexual predator who exposed his victim to a sustained and horrific ordeal.”
She continued: “I would like to again thank the jury for their guilty verdicts and the investigation team, including DC Asad Mirdad, for obtaining the vital evidence which helped secure this conviction.”