Lee Butcher

A man from Witney, Oxfordshire, has been found guilty of a serious sexual assault after unlawfully entering a teenager's home in the early hours of the morning. Lee Butcher, aged 26 and of no fixed abode, was convicted at Oxford Crown Court on one count of knowingly trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence and one count of sexual assault. The incident, which occurred on August 10, 2023, involved Butcher climbing through the victim's kitchen window while heavily intoxicated and proceeding to her bedroom.

The court heard that the 18-year-old victim was sleeping naked in her bed due to the warm weather when Butcher entered her room around 6am. Described by witnesses as 'drunk as a skunk', Butcher approached the sleeping teenager and said to her: 'I want a cuddle. Have you ever had a man 10 years older in your room?' The victim, desperately trying to cover her modesty, attempted to push him away as he tried to climb into her bed and pulled her closer, constituting the sexual assault charge.

Butcher admitted to attending the property but denied any sexual assault took place. However, a jury found him guilty following a trial presided over by HHJ Hassan Khan in February 2024. The prosecution presented evidence of his drunken state and the intrusive nature of his actions, highlighting the violation of the victim's privacy and safety in her own home.

Sentencing was deferred, with Butcher due to appear before HHJ Hassan Khan again on Monday, June 9, 2024, at Oxford Crown Court. The case was reported by the Oxford Mail, drawing attention to the dangers of alcohol-fuelled intrusions and the impact on victims of sexual offences in Oxfordshire.