Drug driver who caused crash on South Yorkshire motorway attempted to rape passenger at scene

Jason Holmes, was jailed for nearly eight years at Grimsby Crown Court on June 24, having pleaded guilty to charges of attempted rape, dangerous driving, sexual assault, two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating at an earlier hearing.

Commenting after the case, a South Yorkshire Police spokesperson said that at just after midday on September 27 last year, Holmes was driving along the M180 towards the junction with the M18, in between Hatfield and Thorne, when the crash and attempted rape took place.

They added: “Holmes was under the influence of a number of non-prescription drugs and drove at speed into the back of a silver car. They both pulled over onto the hard shoulder, where a third vehicle also pulled over to check on the welfare of the occupants of both vehicles.

“Holmes then forced himself on his passenger, sexually assaulting her and strangling her with both his hands until she lost consciousness. Holmes dragged his victim down an embankment where he forcibly removed her clothes and attempted to rape her.

“The drivers of both the other vehicles were then assaulted by Holmes, the driver of the silver car being left with expensive damage to his teeth as well as his vehicle. Holmes was arrested at the scene.”

Holmes was later sentenced to six years and eight months imprisonment for attempted rape, and is required to register under the Sexual Offences Act indefinitely.

He was also sentenced to 10 months prison for dangerous driving, four months for sexual assault, one year and eight months for the first assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and one year for the second assault occasioning actual bodily harm, four months for assault by beating, and a further month for failing to provide a specimen for analysis, all to be served concurrently.

On release from prison he will also be disqualified from driving for a minimum of 18 months, and will be the subject of a restraining order preventing him from going near his victim.

DC Stephen Barnes, leading the investigation for South Yorkshire Police, said: “The victim had to go through an awful and harrowing ordeal which will stay with her for ever, and we commend her bravery in helping us with the investigation, re-living those frightening moments and helping us to prepare the case to get her attacker jailed.

“Thankfully, Holmes admitted the offences and spared the victim having to relive those moments yet again in a court room. We hope that they can now start to move on from this and look forward, rather than back.

“We would also like to thank the victims who were assaulted by Holmes for their help and hope that they feel some form of justice has been handed down so that they, too, may be able to move on with their lives.”