Browse Sections

• Education
• Special reports

Mother’s torment over court cut in rapist's sentence

by Helen Johnson
6/ 5/2008

A DEVASTATED mother has slammed the decision to cut the sentence of a man who raped her daughter.

Richard Salt, 36, of Edenfield Road, was found guilty of raping the woman at the Lancashire Lass pub in 2006 after a trial at Bolton Crown Court.

He was given an indefinite term of imprisonment for public protection after being branded a danger of causing further serious harm.

Now judges at London's Court of Appeal have ruled that the seven-year minimum term he was originally ordered to serve was too long and cut it to five-and-a-half years. Mr Justice Blair, sitting with Lord Justice Hughes and Mr Justice David Clarke, rejected arguments that Salt should have been given an indefinite sentence.

The victim's mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the Observer: "I'm just devastated.

"All the rights seem to be for him, he's a beast. Why can't I appeal to say I think his sentence isn't long enough? Why do those who have done wrong seem to be given all the rights?We weren't even told about it. The first thing we knew about it was when we opened the Observer and read about it. I received a letter yesterday but it was too late by then."

Salt was also convicted of assault and incitement to pervert the course of justice after asking a friend to lie to police on his behalf.

During the trial, the court was shown CCTV footage which included graphic images of the victim being assaulted by Salt.

Her mother added: "For the judges, especially ones with daughters at home, to watch what was on that tape and then decide to cut his sentence is beyond my comprehension.

"If it had happened to a member of their family, they wouldn't be reducing it. He should never be allowed out.My daughter is one of the nicest girls you could ever meet. But we just seem to keep carrying on living this nightmare. There's no justice. There just isn't enough deterrent. What he did was premeditated. He's just evil."

The court had heard that the victim had unwittingly taken cocaine and Salt encouraged her to drink until she was unconscious.

The victim’s aunt added: "He never showed any remorse. His supporters were so brazen in court, too. If my son did something like that, I’d hang my head in shame. We brought our children up trying to keep them safe, always knowing where they are and then some animal comes along and does that. It’s wrecked her life. We just seem to keep carrying on living this nightmare."

The victim and her relatives were forced to watch the CCTV footage as part of the proceedings.

The woman’s mother said: "I had never seen that tape and I didn’t ever want to see it, neither did my daughter. She couldn’t remember what went on that night but now the memory of that tape will stay with her for the rest of her life. Of course the judge and jury had to see it, but for it to be played in open court like that, where anyone could walk in, really violated her. To me, it’s sick."