Swindon rapist jailed for 15 year for multiple sex offences

Schneider was also found guilty of three charges of sexual assault and two of sexual assault by penetration

A man found guilty of raping a woman has been jailed for 15 years.

Charles Schneider, 59, from Freshbrook, Swindon, was convicted of two charges of rape following a trial at Swindon Crown Court last month.

He was also found guilty of three charges of sexual assault and two of sexual assault by penetration.

In a statement to the court, his victim said while she did not feel she could "move on", she could, for the first time in years, "start to feel safe".

The court was previously told how Schneider, who was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on 16 March, had subjected his victim to sexual assaults over a number of months.

'More wary'

She said what he had done to her had "massively affected" her "ability to trust others."

"I now worry about people's motives and things like jokes and comments get to me a lot more than they ever did," the victim said.

They added: "Simple every day things are now more stressful" and they were "way more wary of" their physical proximity to others, as a result.

She also described how she had felt uncomfortable when getting into a taxi driven by a male driver on her own.

'Can't move on'

Her statement said she was "grateful" Schneider had been found guilty and said it felt "like the end of a horrific period" of her life.

"I don't feel it means I can move on, because it still happened and I still have to deal with it, but it does begin to help," she added.

Sgt Matthew Gamble from Wiltshire Police said: "Schneider's actions have caused understandably significant amounts of stress to his victim.

"She has suffered with her mental health as a consequence, which has had a huge negative impact on both her private and professional life."

Schneider was also placed on the sex offender's register indefinitely and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £170.