Benjamin Wilson was jailed for 10-and-a-half years after repeatedly raping a vulnerable woman who became separated from her friends on a Manchester night out in 2022
This is the moment a man arrested for raping a vulnerable woman on a night out grins for his police mugshot. Benjamin Wilson, 36, repeatedly raped the woman when she became separated from friends in Manchester city centre.
Footage shows officers ordering Wilson out of the shower before arresting him on suspicion of rape, as he emerges wearing only a towel and replies: “What?” He was later photographed with a smile on his face while in custody.
The victim, who has lifelong anonymity, had been on a night out with friends in June 2022 when she became separated from the group.
Police said she and a friend believed their drinks had been spiked before she was left alone, “extremely vulnerable and intoxicated”.
Wilson, of Norwood Avenue, Chesterfield, South Yorks., spotted the woman near a takeaway and exploited her state by leading her into a taxi before repeatedly raping her at a flat in Manchester.
The following morning, Wilson left her near the hotel where she had been due to stay with her friend. She reported the incident shortly afterwards and Greater Manchester Police launched an investigation.
Due to the trauma she endured and previous medical PTSD, officers worked closely with the victim’s parents and a trusted colleague.
Detectives spent hundreds of hours examining witness statements, financial and phone data, intelligence checks and overcoming cross-force barriers before tracking Wilson down in Derbyshire. He was convicted on three counts of rape and false imprisonment and sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison.
DC Phillip Sargeant stated: “I am awestruck not only by the courage of the victim in coming forward, but also by her patience and resilience in waiting for justice.
“The impact on her, her family and her support network has been profound. I hope today’s sentence provides some measure of closure and enables them to move on from this traumatic experience.
“We have worked hard to support her throughout, allowing her to guide the pace of the investigation and how she engaged with the process.
“I hope this case reassures others that they will be taken seriously and supported sensitively by Greater Manchester Police, no matter how long it takes.”