Man jailed for assaulting woman who rejected him

Zak Honeyman was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault at Burnley Crown Court

A man who sexually assaulted a woman in her home after she rejected his advances has been jailed.

Zak Honeyman, of Weets View, Barnoldswick, "persistently" asked to walk her home after they met at a bonfire in November 2022, Lancashire Police said.

The 26-year-old was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault at Burnley Crown Court, and was jailed for 18 months.

The victim, who cannot be named, said his actions had "changed her life dramatically".

'Felt disgusting'

In a statement to the court, the victim wrote: “After I was sexually assaulted by Zak I moved in with my mum because I didn’t want to be on my own in my own house."

She said she "didn’t feel safe" and "was having daily panic attacks, migraines all day every day, and being sick at the thought of what had happened to me".

"I was embarrassed and felt disgusting,” she said.

Det Con Hannah Dermody said: “This was an appalling crime committed against a woman in her own home - a place she should be entitled to feel safe.

“Honeyman’s offending has clearly had a significant and long-lasting impact on her."