Yordan Stanchev

On the evening of 25 January 2023, at approximately 9.15pm, a 17-year-old girl was walking near Launceston College in Launceston, Cornwall, when she noticed Bulgarian national Yordan Stanchev, aged 26 and of no fixed abode, following her. Unbeknownst to the victim, Stanchev harboured misogynist views and targeted her at random as revenge for believing his wife was having an affair.

As the victim entered a remote alleyway, Stanchev sprinted towards her. She screamed and attempted to flee, but he caught up, pushed her against a metal fence, and carried out a sustained sexual assault. Despite her terror, the victim bravely fought back, injuring Stanchev's face in the struggle. The attack was possibly interrupted by a nearby dog walker, prompting Stanchev to flee, allowing the victim to escape to safety.

A relative of the victim promptly called Devon & Cornwall Police, who deployed officers to conduct an area search. The victim provided a description of her attacker. Earlier that evening, Stanchev had contacted police claiming he had been attacked outside a Lidl store in the area. Officers, aware of this report, arranged to meet him and located him with a facial injury matching the victim's account. His phone was also traced to the vicinity of the offence at the time. The victim positively identified Stanchev, leading to his immediate arrest, charging, and remand in custody.

Stanchev appeared at Truro Crown Court on 2 April 2023, where he pleaded guilty to sexual assault. Judge Simon Carr sentenced him to three years' imprisonment, describing the offence as 'every woman’s worst nightmare' and a 'sustained and terrifying attack' in a remote area. The judge noted the victim's exceptional bravery in fighting off Stanchev, who had intended to commit an even more serious offence. Stanchev, a Bulgarian national, is likely to face deportation following his sentence and must sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life. A restraining order was imposed to protect the victim.

Police Staff Investigator Jo Wilson commended the victim's bravery and the swift police response, stating that stranger attacks of this nature remain rare in Devon and Cornwall. She highlighted how the victim's actions, combined with the possible intervention of a dog walker, prevented further sexual offences. Devon & Cornwall Police emphasised their commitment to taking every report of sexual assault seriously, as evidenced by Stanchev's arrest within hours of the incident.