Guiseppi Volante

A sex offender from West Molesey has been sentenced to 10 years in prison following a series of sexual abuses against a teenage girl. Guiseppi Volante, aged 56 and residing in Glebelands, West Molesey, Surrey, was convicted at Guildford Crown Court on seven charges related to the abuse of the same child. The charges included three counts of penetrative sexual activity, three counts of non-penetrative sexual activity, and one count of attempted rape.

The abuse began when Volante and the victim were alone, with the offender exploiting the situation to perpetrate his crimes. Court proceedings revealed that Volante would cut the girl's clothing off and, on one occasion, attempted to rape her during a walk. The victim's ordeal came to light after she confided in a friend, leading to a report to Surrey Police. Upon searching Volante's home following an interview, officers discovered pornographic videos with disturbing titles such as “Abused Girls Sleeping” and “Drug Abused Girls”, which further evidenced his predatory behaviour.

The victim provided a powerful impact statement in court, detailing the profound effects of the abuse. She stated: "Every day I fight with myself, trying to move on, be normal, but I will never get that opportunity. You took that from me. I started to have nightmares. In one of them, I was running away from you. It was like I was going as fast as I could but I wasn’t actually running that fast. I was screaming for help but no one was around. At the end, before I woke up, I found help, finally. I was unsure on why I had these dreams, so I sought to ask a friend and she explained that nightmares are a way for our brain to cope with trauma." This testimony underscored the lasting trauma inflicted by Volante's actions.

Detective Constable Julia Thomas, who led the investigation for Surrey Police, commented on the case: “This was a horrific crime where an older man repeatedly preyed on a vulnerable young girl, relying on her silence to continue his abuse. The victim showed incredible bravery coming forward after what happened to her as a child and my colleagues in our Victim and Witness Care Unit have worked closely with her to provide support throughout the investigation and court proceedings. I hope today’s result shows that we’re determined to thoroughly investigate all reports of sexual abuse, no matter how long ago they happened. Please don’t think there won’t be enough evidence to progress the case - we will work with you and do our very best to ensure those responsible are held accountable.” The sentencing on 24 February 2022 marked the end of Volante's reign of abuse, with him also required to remain on the Sex Offender's Register indefinitely.