Colchester: Man jailed for seven years after sexual assault

Gatis Heinrihsons, 38, followed his victim up a set of stairs to the doorway of her Colchester flat late on the evening of August 28 last year.

A trial at Ipswich Crown Court heard he forced his way into her home before pushing her onto a sofa and sexually assaulting her.

Heinrihsons, of Woodside Close, Colchester, denied one count of assault by penetration, but was convicted by a jury.

Claire Matthews, prosecuting, said: “The prosecution case is the defendant followed her upstairs, barged his way into her accommodation, pushed her over and proceeded to [sexually assault her].

“She shouted and she screamed, and she told him to get off repeatedly.

“The shouting was such it was heard by neighbouring properties.”

She told the police the assault was “extremely aggressive”.

Gatis Heinrihsons

Ms Matthews said: “When asked by police what she thought brought the assault to an end, she said because she was screaming blue murder.”

The jury watched footage of the interview, in which the woman said it felt like “he was trying to cause damage”.

She told the officer Heinrihsons said nothing during the assault and was “like a robot”, before he got up and left.

When asked how the assault made her feel, she said: “Just terrified, that somebody could attack me in my own home. That I’ve got no sanctuary.”

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The jury was played doorbell camera footage, which captured the sound of screams and the figure of Heinrihsons leaving the flat.

In police interview, he accepted the footage showed him leaving the flat, but said he “could not remember” why he had entered her home.

Ms Matthews said: “The prosecution’s case is she was not reasonably consenting and he knew that all too well.”

Heinrihsons was sentenced to seven years imprisonment, was banned from contacting the victim or attending her home and was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register.