A ‘RUTHLESS and dangerous’ Hillmorton man has been jailed for sexually assaulting vulnerable elderly women.
Richard Saillet, 64, of Crick Road, Rugby, was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment at Oxford Crown Court with two further years on licence.
At a previous hearing in March at the same court, he pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault on a female over 16.
On each occasion Saillet trespassed onto the properties of elderly women to sexually assault them.
The offences took place last year in Halesowen, Oxford, Bromsgrove, and Greens Norton in Northamptonshire. A 2015 offence in Hethe, Oxfordshire was also laid on file.
Saillet was arrested on May 24 last year, and charged on February 21 this year.
Jeremy Taylor, Senior Crown Prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said: “On each occasion, Richard Saillet attended the home address of the women, who are not known to him, and touched them inappropriately.
“During the first incident, he pushed past the victim as she opened the door and forced his way in.
“A week before the second incident, he called the victim claiming someone needed to visit her about a survey. On attending, he said he needed to use the bathroom and when she found him in her son’s bedroom he forced her onto the bed.
“Saillet used violence during the last incident and got angry with the victim when she tried to resist.
“He targeted the women, due to their vulnerability, and planned his attacks. He is clearly a calculated, ruthless and dangerous man.”
He added Saillet initially denied any wrongdoing, but eventually pleaded guilty after being linked to the assaults via DNA, Automatic Number Plate Recognition, mobile phone and cell site analysis, and phone billing evidence.
He continued: “This prosecution would not have been possible without the courage of the victims, who were willing to support proceedings. I commend them for their bravery.
“The physical and emotional impact on the victims of the abhorrent actions of this man is impossible to quantify. I hope that the convictions and today’s sentence give some small comfort to them. Our thoughts are very much with them all at this time.”
Investigating officer Detective Constable Richard Lewis said: “This was a very disturbing series of sexual assaults. Saillet targeted his victims, who were all vulnerable, elderly women living on their own.
“Bringing Saillet to justice has very much been a collaborative effort between four police forces, the National Crime Agency and the Crown Prosecution Service and I would like to thank all of those involved.”
