January 2023

Man raped woman in back of vehicle 

A 29-year-old man has been to sent to prison after being found guilty of violently raping a woman in Northampton.

In the early hours of January 14, 2022, Lewis Vanmeer-Sheridan, previously of Sulman Grove, Milton Keynes, agreed to give a female acquaintance a lift home after a night out.

However, instead of driving her to her home address, Vanmeer-Sheridan detoured to a car park in Rushmere Road, Northampton, where he made sexual advances towards her, advances she rejected.

But instead of accepting “no” as an answer, Vanmeer-Sheridan raped her in the back of the vehicle.

The victim reported the incident afterwards to Northamptonshire Police and an investigation was launched with Vanmeer-Sheridan being arrested a short time later.

He was subsequently charged with rape and found guilty of the offence at Northampton Crown Court last Wednesday (January 11).

He returned to the same court the next day where he was handed a sentence of eight years and four months in prison.