Double Hartlepool rapist launches legal bid to clear his name

Leigh Alan Pear, from Milbank Road, Hartlepool, was locked up for 14 years earlier this year after he was convicted of committing two sex attacks on different women seven years apart.

A jury found him guilty after learning how he preyed on his victims’ vulnerability and about how both suffered “severe psychological harm” as a result.

Teesside Crown Court heard he had a sense of entitlement when it came to sex.

Prosecutor Jo Kidd told his February trial: “He clearly considered their view, their wish, their desires were of no importance, and that if he wanted to have sex he was going to have it.”

Now, however, Pear, who insisted sex was consensual on both occasions, is seeking to have the jury’s verdict overturned.

He is bidding to have his convictions quashed at a Court of Appeal hearing in London later this month.

Judges will hear his defence team’s arguments on October 28.

Five further rape allegations that Pear stood trial for were dismissed after the jury was unable to agree verdicts.

Defence barrister Ian Mullarkey told the court after the two guilty convictions that Pear was of previous good character and still maintained his innocence.

Sentencing him to seven years for each attack, Judge Stephen Ashurst told Pear in April: “Rape is always regarded by the court as a serious crime.

"It is an ugly crime. It is a crime that has repercussions, very often lifetime repercussions for victims.

"I regard your behaviour towards these two women as being extremely serious.”

He added Pear, who was 39 at the time of his sentencing, had not shown “one shred of sympathy or remorse” towards the victims but instead classed himself as the victim.

Detective Constable Shaun Watson, the detective in charge of the case at Cleveland Police, welcomed the sentence and said afterwards: “A dangerous man has been removed from our streets and while it can never undo what happened, I sincerely hope today’s outcome brings a degree of comfort to the women affected.

"They showed great bravery throughout the investigation and the legal process, and I wish them both well for the future.”

Support your Mail and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest football stories and new puzzles every day.

With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.