Woman sexually harassed by two men at house party in Ellesmere Port

George Johnson, of Dunkirk Lane, Whitby, Ellesmere Port, and Vincenzo Montessori, of Polden Close, Little Sutton, Ellesmere Port, appeared before Chester Crown Court on Friday, June 21.

Johnson was sentenced to ten years in a youth detention center for attempted rape and sexual assault. Montessori was sentenced to five years in a youth detention center for sexual assault.

On December 27, 2020, the then 17-year-old couple attended a house party with other young people.

After the party, the 20-year-old victim could no longer remember the evening, but learned from a friend that she had been sexually abused and reported it to the police.

A video that police discovered on the phone confiscated from one of the party guests showed her being sexually assaulted by two people.

Johnson and Montessori – who were identified in the footage – are seen taking turns sexually abusing the victim.

The footage was clear and showed the victim in an intoxicated state, so she was neither able to consent to what was happening to her nor to prevent it.

During the recording, Johnson tried to rape her.

The couple were arrested and later charged in connection with the incident.

Montessori pleaded guilty before trial and Johnson was found guilty after a week-long trial.

In addition to their sentences, both are subject to a restraining order and must sign the sex offenders’ register.

After the verdict, DC Joe Duckworth said: “Firstly, I would like to pay tribute to the courage shown by the victim throughout the investigation and subsequent court proceedings.

“Although it seemed as though the video evidence spoke for itself, Johnson nevertheless subjected her to an extremely traumatic process in which she was forced to relive the effects of this crime.

“I would also like to thank the jury for their fair, rational and objective approach to the trial of Johnson.

“They too had to witness the evidence presented during the trial and I am sure they will remember it for a long time.

“Although Johnson and Montessori were only 17 years old at the time of the crime, they knew what they were doing. This is evident from their reactions seen on video while committing their crimes.

“They chose to exploit a woman who was not consenting, and now they must live with the consequences of their actions.

“This crime has resulted in two young people being convicted and a woman having to live the rest of her life with the knowledge of what happened to her.

“This is an incredibly distressing case and I sincerely hope it reminds us of the importance of having serious conversations about consent and the impact that intoxication can have on people’s ability to consent.

“We would also like to remind people that the victim in this case is entitled to anonymity.”