Toby Coucill

On 9 August 2025, in the early hours of the morning, Toby Coucill, then 19 years old and residing in Northampton, committed a rape against a girl in her late teens inside a property located on Weedon Road in Northampton. The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of Northamptonshire Police, who were promptly notified when the victim bravely fled the address and contacted authorities.

Coucill was arrested shortly after the report and charged with one count of rape of a female over 16 and two counts of sexual assault. During his police interview, Coucill initially denied any sexual activity had taken place. However, upon being informed of forensic evidence linking him to the crime, he altered his account, claiming the encounter had been consensual.

The case proceeded to trial at Northampton Crown Court, commencing on 26 January 2026. Over the course of a two-week hearing, the jury deliberated and unanimously found Coucill guilty on all three charges. The trial highlighted the victim's courage in testifying about the traumatic events, as commended by the lead investigator.

Sentencing for Coucill is scheduled for 20 March 2026 at Northampton Crown Court. Detective Constable Chantal Carrington, from Northamptonshire Police’s SOLAR Team—a specialist unit dedicated to investigating sexual offences—praised the victim's resilience, stating: “First of all I would like to commend the young woman in this case for her unwavering courage. She had to take the stand at court and talk about what happened to her and I am so proud of her.” Carrington further noted the victim's desire to publicise the outcome to encourage other survivors, adding: “When I asked her whether she wanted to share this result publicly she said she did because she felt it important to encourage victims of similar crimes to speak out and seek help. She also agreed that the shame does not lie with her but with Toby Coucill.”

The victim herself echoed this sentiment, describing the police response as exemplary: “This result is a demonstration of the amazing work DC Carrington and Northamptonshire Police do which is why it was so important to me to share it.” The SOLAR Team's commitment to justice in sexual offence cases was underscored by Carrington's hope that the verdict would demonstrate their dedication to holding perpetrators accountable.

This case, reported by Northamptonshire Police on their official website, serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing efforts to combat sexual violence in the United Kingdom, with the full sentencing outcome pending in March 2026.