Ilfracombe rapist will spend longer behind bars

A man who raped a young mother will spend more time in prison after the Solicitor General, Rt Hon Michael Ellis QC MP, referred his original sentence to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient.

On 21 May last year, Ross Wyborn, now 25, broke into the victim’s home. The victim was having a bath while her two year old daughter was asleep in her room. The victim heard noises and got out of the bath, covering herself with a towel in order to investigate. Wyborn dragged the victim to the floor and made her perform a sexual act, and he then raped her. The victim’s daughter woke up while the offending was happening and Wyborn forcefully shoved the child back into her room.

Wyborn was originally sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment with a licence extension of 5 years in February at Exeter Crown Court. The Court of Appeal has today increased his sentence to 15 years with a licence extension of 5 years.

Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General said:

“Wyborn is a dangerous sexual predator and his actions will have a lasting impact on the victim and her family. The original sentence failed to take proper account of the seriousness of the offence, and I am pleased the Court has now seen fit to increase the prison term.”