Former Premier League footballer Nathan Ashton jailed for rape in Romford

Nathan Ashton, 37, of no fixed abode, carried out the attack in the early hours of February 19, 2023, after a night of drinking at a bar in Shoreditch.

Ashton, who played in the English youth league, was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Tuesday, July 16.

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Det Sgt Ben Wallen, who led the investigation, said: “Our officers were very diligent in their investigation into Ashton and were able to achieve a great result.”

“The victim was extremely brave and reported the incident to the police. We encourage all victims to come forward and speak to our specialist officers so that these notorious offenders can be removed from our streets.”

After a night at the bar in Shoreditch, Ashton offered the woman and her friends a ride home.

Arriving at the address in Romford, Ashton decided to stay with the three women.

After they all decided to go to bed and fell asleep in different rooms, Ashton entered a woman’s room and raped her.

The woman reported the attack to the police, who then began their investigation.

When taken to the police station for questioning, Ashton denied the rape and insisted that the sex was consensual.

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The jury came to a different conclusion.

Ashton is now a semi-professional footballer, but once played for Fulham in the Premier League and rose through the ranks at Charlton Athletic when they were still a top club.

In the mid-2000s, he played on loan at Crystal Palace and Millwall.

The Metropolitan Police said it was taking a “new approach” to solving rape cases, with the focus no longer on the credibility of the victim but on the life of the suspect.

They work with charities and criminal justice partners to ensure victims/survivors have the confidence to report these crimes.

Det Sgt Wallen said: “We remain committed to supporting rape victims and protecting women and girls from sexually abusive perpetrators. I would encourage all victims to come forward to the police.”