Letchworth man convicted of non-fatal strangulation

A Letchworth man was found guilty of non-fatal strangulation and a number of other offences at St Albans Crown Court yesterday (Thursday 22 December).

Ashley Banks, aged 35, was found guilty of the following, which occurred in July this year – a day after he was released from prison:

Non-fatal strangulation

ABH

Two counts of sexual assault by touching

Two counts of sexual assault by penetration

Assault by beating

Assaulting an emergency worker

Racially aggravated public order

During the two-day trial, the court heard that Banks sexually assaulted a woman multiple times, before punching her repeatedly in the face and putting his arms around her throat in the stairwell of an address in Letchworth Garden City.

Banks then proceeded to assault a member of the public who intervened during his brutal attack on the victim.

When he was arrested that day, he kicked a police officer and was racially abusive towards another.

Investigator Lauren Shelley, who led the case, said: "Strangulation, even momentarily, is extremely dangerous. Our priority was to safeguard the victim from further harm. She was terrified of Banks and was therefore understandably unable to support a police investigation.

"However, Banks is a danger to women and, due to the serious nature of the offences, we were able to investigate independently and gathered enough evidence, including CCTV footage, to bring him before the courts."

He is due to be sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on Friday, February, 17 2023.

Banks was the second person in Hertfordshire to be charged with non-fatal strangulation and suffocation on Friday 8 July, using new legislation which only became a criminal offence on 7 June, 2022.