Jail for 'reign of terror' rapist

Gary Howe was arrested after security guards saw him on CCTV

A violent sexual predator who brought a "reign of terror" to a city's student population has been jailed.

Gary Howe was given an indeterminate sentence by a judge who heard how he carried out a string of attacks in Sheffield. He also struck in Bristol.

The delivery driver, of Hollingsend Road, Sheffield, was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court after admitting three rapes and two attempted rapes.

The 44-year-old must serve a minimum of eight years and eight months.

The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Alan Goldsack QC, warned him it may be many more years before he is considered for release.

Howe had also pleaded guilty to one count of trespass with intent to rape and another of battery with intent to rape.

This was a terrifying series of offences for the victims and the fear that will have been generated within the female student population generally Judge Alan Goldsack QC

Sheffield Crown Court heard how the father-of-two apparently had no previous history of offending and was a normal family man before he began his attacks in June last year.

But speaking after Monday's sentencing, detectives said they would investigate whether he was responsible for other offences.

The court was told that Howe terrorised his first victim, a 19-year-old woman, after grabbing her in Bristol city centre and dragging her into a car park, raping her twice as she fought against him.

He then began attacking girls in the Broomhill and Hunter's Bar areas of Sheffield.

In one incident he broke into a shared student house after following someone home and tampered with a lock on a young woman's door.

He then returned two days later and attacked her, only fleeing when she fought back and told him, falsely, she was HIV positive.

'Significant risk'

Mr Goldsack told him: "This was a terrifying series of offences for the victims and the fear that will have been generated within the female student population generally within this city.

"I am certainly not persuaded that the risks have been or can be reduced so that you don't pose a significant risk on your release."

The judge said the actions of two university security guards who recognised Howe on a CCTV camera had "brought his reign of terror to an end".

Speaking outside court Acting Ch Insp Tom Whiteley, of South Yorkshire Police, said Howe had a split personality which meant he was a normal family man by day and a "sexual predator" by night.

"Sheffield is a safer place, particularly at night and particularly for young girls now that Gary Howe is in prison today," he said.