Jason Collins

A convicted sex offender from Wiltshire has avoided immediate imprisonment following his latest sexual assault conviction. Jason Collins, aged 29, was found guilty at Swindon Magistrates’ Court in January 2023 of sexually assaulting a woman in Marlborough. The incident occurred in September 2021, marking another addition to his significant history of sexual offences.

During the sentencing hearing in March 2023, prosecutor Keith Ballinger detailed how Collins squeezed the victim’s bottom after a verbal altercation. The woman, who knew Collins through family connections, reacted strongly, shouting, “Don’t touch my f**king bum,” and promptly called the police. In her victim personal statement, she described the profound impact of the assault, stating that she had been forced to leave her hometown and now suffers from depression and anxiety, which has strained her relationship. She further explained the assault's effect on her eating habits, noting that she often goes days or weeks without eating due to feeling disgusted with her body.

The court heard that Collins was already a registered sex offender at the time of this attack. Just months earlier, in January 2021, he had been convicted of another sexual assault and received a suspended prison sentence. He was also prosecuted for breaching sex offender notification requirements. Despite this background, his defence, represented by Mr Jones, argued that Collins maintains his innocence in this instance and that the allegation differs from his previous offending. Mr Jones highlighted Collins's traumatic childhood and recent positive changes, including stopping drinking, learning to drive, and seeking employment, which magistrates accepted as evidence of improved behaviour since the incident.

Imposing a 36-month community order, magistrates required Collins to pay £200 in costs and a £95 surcharge. He must register as a sex offender for five years, running concurrently with his existing registration, and a 12-month restraining order was also issued. This case, reported by Wiltshire 999s on 21 April 2023, underscores ongoing concerns about the management of registered sex offenders in the community.