Mark Greenway

Mark Greenway, a 31-year-old man from Spon Lane, Atherstone in Warwickshire, was sentenced at Southampton Crown Court for the rape of a 12-year-old girl in a Southampton hotel in August 2023. The incident came to light after the victim reported it to police shortly after leaving the Novotel hotel, leading to Greenway's arrest later that morning.

The case began when Greenway received a friend request from the girl on TikTok at 4:02am one morning in August 2023. Robert Bryan, prosecuting, explained in court that their online conversation quickly escalated, resulting in an agreement to meet at Greenway's hotel room, where he was staying while working on road resurfacing in the area. Greenway arranged a taxi to collect the girl, instructing the driver that she was his cousin. However, while she was en route, Greenway messaged her expressing surprise, stating 'WTF, you are not 19', despite his later claim that he believed she was of age.

Upon arrival at the hotel around 7:08am, Greenway provided the girl with a key card to his room and instructed her to sneak up shortly after he entered alone. She spent over two hours in the room, leaving at 9:21am. The victim then proceeded directly to the nearby police station, where she detailed the assault to officers. Hampshire Constabulary arrested Greenway at the hotel at 10:00am. Investigations revealed the sexual encounter involved rape, confirming the girl's young age through their interactions.

During the sentencing hearing on Tuesday, the victim's grandmother delivered a poignant impact statement, describing the profound emotional and psychological toll on her granddaughter. 'Since the incident occurred, she has experienced emotional and psychological distress. She has been self-harming,' she said tearfully. 'Her emotional well-being has been significantly impacted. She hates her body. Her self-worth, her self-esteem, has been severely damaged.' The grandmother condemned Greenway's defence, stating, 'That he thought she was older is despicable. Anyone talking to her would know she is a child.' She also expressed her own anguish: 'It has been heartbreaking to see her go through this ordeal. I have always been a happy person, but this incident has taken something from me that I can't get back. I was made to be her protector, and I feel I have failed.'

Southampton Crown Court Judge sentenced Greenway to four years' imprisonment, with one year to be served on licence upon release. Additional measures included the forfeiture and destruction of his phone, and lifelong registration on the sex offenders' register. The case, reported by the Daily Echo and sourced from court proceedings, highlights the dangers of online interactions leading to real-world exploitation.