Man jailed for rape, strangling and stalking

A man has been jailed for more than 14 years after he admitted raping, strangling and stalking as well as other offences.

Jacob Leslie Simcock, 35, of Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, also known as Jacob Murfin, raped and strangled one woman inside a house last year. Police said he had raped the same woman in a separate incident.

In addition, Simcock strangled, stalked and threatened to share indecent images of another woman last year. He was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court to 14 years and 10 months in prison, with three years and two months on extended licence.

What he subjected survivors to had been "utterly deplorable", police said.

Police said they had found Simcock had threatened to share explicit videos of the woman he raped and had tried to stop her from contacting anyone. He also threatened to harm her.

The victim had been unaware any recordings existed at the time, police said.

Simcock also strangled, stalked and threatened to share indecent images of another woman last year.

He asked her to tell officers that she had been lying and tried to call her from withheld numbers when she had been at a police station.

He also told her that he was not afraid to petrol bomb her house.

"I'm pleased that we've been able to build all of the evidence needed to secure a substantial prison sentence against Simcock today," Det Con Adele Thompson said.

"What he subjected the survivors to was utterly deplorable, and I hope this sends a message to anyone else out there that we will take robust action against those responsible for these crimes."

He previously admitted two counts of rape, two counts of intentional strangulation, two counts of threatening to share a photograph or film of a person in an intimate state, one count of engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour and one count of stalking involving fear of violence.

He was also put on the sex offenders register for life and given an indefinite restraining order against both survivors.

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