Stuart Lionel Cosgrave

In 2018, Stuart Lionel Cosgrave, a 48-year-old resident of Fyning Street in Landport, Portsmouth, carried out a brutal sexual assault on a woman he knew. The attack, described in court as 'sick' by investigators, involved rape and assault by penetration, with Cosgrave filming the entire incident on his mobile phone. The victim had previously reported Cosgrave to the police for unrelated offences, including burglary and harassment, which initially led to his arrest and the seizure of two mobile phones.

Upon examination by detectives, the phones revealed multiple videos depicting what appeared to be a series of sexual assaults on the victim. Identification efforts confirmed her involvement in the footage, prompting charges of assaulting a female aged 13 and over by penetration with part of the body or a thing, and the rape of a woman aged 16 and over. Cosgrave pleaded guilty to both counts at Portsmouth Crown Court.

The sentencing hearing, reported by The News on 17 June 2022, resulted in Cosgrave being jailed for 10 and a half years, with an extended five-year licence period to follow his release. In a joint statement, Detective Constable Vicki Bousfield and Detective Sergeant Beth Marshall, who led the Hampshire Constabulary investigation, highlighted the victim's courage: 'Without her courage we would not have secured this conviction and sentence today.' They emphasised the force's commitment to supporting victims of sexual offences, noting that such allegations are taken 'incredibly seriously' regardless of the time elapsed since the incident.

The case underscores the importance of digital evidence in prosecuting sexual crimes, as the videos found on Cosgrave's devices provided irrefutable proof of his actions. Sources close to the investigation, including official statements from Hampshire Constabulary, confirmed that the victim received specialist support throughout the process, contributing to the successful outcome.