Manoj Chinthathira

Manoj Chinthathira, a 29-year-old resident of Wilfred Road in Taunton, Somerset, targeted a vulnerable woman in her thirties whom he encountered on the street. Noticing she appeared upset, he initially engaged her in friendly conversation before buying beer from a nearby shop and offering it to her. He then led her to a secluded bench in Victoria Park, where his behaviour turned predatory.

The assault occurred between 11pm on Friday 10 October 2025 and 5am on Saturday 11 October 2025. Security cameras nearby captured the chilling moment when Chinthathira explicitly told the woman he was going to rape her, prompting her terrified pleas of 'please don’t'. The sustained attack left the victim in fear for her life, as described in the police investigation.

Avon and Somerset Police issued an appeal for information on Sunday 12 October 2025 and arrested Chinthathira the same day. He initially denied the crime but entered guilty pleas to two counts of rape at a hearing on 28 November 2025, leading to his remand into custody. On Thursday 8 January 2026, at Taunton Crown Court sitting at Worle, His Honour Judge Stephen Climie sentenced him to 12 years' imprisonment for each offence, to run concurrently, with a reduction allowed for his guilty plea. The judge noted that Chinthathira would be deported after serving 50 per cent of his sentence. During the sentencing, Chinthathira expressed remorse and shame, hanging his head.

Detective Constable Amanda Johnson, the officer in the case from Avon and Somerset Police, described the incident as disturbing, highlighting how Chinthathira had planned and executed the predatory assault on a woman in distress. She praised the victim's resilience in supporting the investigation and thanked members of the public who assisted. Christine Hart, Senior Crown Advocate from the Crown Prosecution Service, commended the thorough investigation, which included obtaining audio from CCTV cameras capturing the harrowing details of the incident, and reiterated the commitment to bringing such offenders to justice.