A man has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for sexually assaulting a woman on London Road in Hilsea last year

Christopher Spybey, 44, of no fixed abode, appeared at Southampton Crown Court on Monday (7 March), having previously pleaded not guilty to sexual assault on a female.

After a two day trial Spybey was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to a year in prison.

The court heard how on Thursday 28 October 2021 at approximately 7.15pm Spybey approached a woman in her 50s as she was getting into her car on London Road and sexually assaulted her by inappropriately touching her over her clothing.

He then attempted to hug her and asked her repeatedly to kiss him, which she declined. The court heard how Spybey then told the victim that he had a knife in his possession.

The victim managed to get away from Spybey and ran home before reporting the incident to police in the early hours of Friday 29 October. Officers were able to identify Spybey based on the information provided by the victim and he was arrested later that day.

When he was arrested by officers he was found to have a knife in his pocket.

He was charged with sexual assault on a female and possession of a knife. He pleaded guilty to possessing a knife on the day he was arrested.

DC Dana Mabe from Hampshire Constabulary’s Criminal Investigation Department, who led the investigation, said: “This was undoubtedly a traumatic ordeal for the woman concerned and I cannot praise her enough for the courage and bravery she has shown in coming forward and reporting what happened to her and for the strength she has shown throughout the trial.

“We know it’s incredibly difficult to report incidents of this nature but with her help, we have been able to secure this guilty verdict and bring Spybey to justice. I hope this outcome offers a degree of comfort to the woman and goes some way to helping her move on in her life.  

“I really hope that this case shows people that no matter the circumstances, Hampshire Constabulary is committed to supporting survivors of rape and sexual assault and we will do everything we can to identify offenders and put them in front of a court.”

If you’ve been the victim, please report rape or sexual assault as soon as possible. Even if you’re not 100 percent sure, we’d sooner hear from you so that we can make sure you’re safe. If you’re not ready to talk to the police just yet, that’s ok. There are a range of places to get support, advice and medical help.

You can speak to a number of organisations in confidence and what you tell them won’t be shared with the police unless you ask for it to be. For further information go to:  

https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/support-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault/