Chelmsford: Woman's thanks as attacker is jailed for 7 years

A woman who was seriously sexually assaulted in Chelmsford has thanked the officers who identified her attacker and ensured he was sentenced to more than seven years in jail.

Mateusz Nowaczyk was sentenced today, Thursday 31 October, after the incident which took place in B&M car park, in Parkway, in March this year.

The 21-year-old has previously pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault by penetration.

On Saturday 9 March, Essex Police received a report of a woman being sexually assaulted at about 2am.

She was pushed to the ground and sexually assaulted by a man wearing a hooded jacket and gloves.

Whilst on the phone to the police, the woman was approached by Mateusz Nowaczyk who asked whether she was okay and offered to help. When officers arrived, Nowaczyk claimed that he had seen the suspect leaving the scene and that he had heard the woman screaming for help.

Nowaczyk was initially treated as a significant witness, however following fast-paced enquiries by detectives in our Serious Crime Directorate, he was nominated as a suspect and arrested later on the same day.

CCTV enquiries showed Nowaczyk walking around the area at the time for a few hours.

When his mobile was seized, it showed that he had carried out searches relating to sexual assault and that he had accessed the National Sexual Violence Resource Centre.

He was subsequently charged with sexual assault by penetration and perverting the course of justice.

He appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday 30 August where he pleaded guilty to sexual assault by penetration. The charge of perverting the course of justice was ordered to lay on file by the judge.

He appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court today, Thursday 31 October, where he was sentenced to seven years and two months in prison.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order.

Following the sentencing, the woman said:

“I want to thank the police and everyone involved in helping to find this monster.
“This has been a horrific time in my life and has definitely impacted upon my family, my relationship and my mental health.
“I spent a long time blaming myself for what happened that night but I now know it wasn’t my fault. Women shouldn’t be ashamed to come forward on sexual assault because it’s not your fault.
“Please do not live in fear or sit in silence. I am not a victim, I am a survivor.”

Detective Chief Inspector Antony Alcock said:

“The predatory behaviour of Nowaczyk, who sexually assaulted a stranger is not something that is reported often, and our fast response reflected the serious and rare nature of his offence.
“Early enquiries quickly highlighted inconsistencies in his account and an element of fantasy in what he told officers. That work uncovered and unravelled his lies.
“Despite how rare incidents such as these are, that doesn’t take away how traumatic this must have been for the woman, and I must commend her for the strength she has shown throughout this investigation.”

Synergy Essex offers independent and specialised services for individuals who have experienced rape or sexual abuse in Essex.

Synergy Essex is a partnership of three services; Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse (CARA), SERICC Rape and Sexual Abuse Specialist Service, and Southend-on-Sea Rape Crisis (SOS Rape Crisis).

The services provided by Synergy Essex are independent of the police. This ensures individuals can seek help whether they choose to report the incident or not. This could be in relation to something that happened recently or in the past.

Survivors and victims can access support by reaching out on their own or through a referral from someone they trust. This could be a family member, friend, or professional.

At Synergy Essex, people of all ages can benefit from specialised emotional support. This includes counselling and advocacy.

For those pursuing legal action, they offer the help of an Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA). The advisers can guide and support them through the criminal justice process.

To learn more about the services available, please visit the Synergy Essex website.

At Essex Police we put victims at the heart of everything we do. The Victims’ Code explains the rights that everyone can expect to receive as a victim of crime, and helps us define what we must do for all victims from their initial contact with our force until the conclusion of their case.

Find out more about the code and to understand the rights of a victim of crime, on our support for victims and witnesses of crime page.

To report a crime, please use our digital 101 service. In an emergency call 999.