'Dangerous' man jailed for rape and sexual assault

A "dangerous" man who raped an underage teenager and sexually assaulted a young woman has been jailed for 13-and-a-half years.

Benjamin Vivian-Hucker, 22, of Dursley, Gloucestershire, was unanimously found guilty of 11 offences by a jury in September 2024.

He was convicted of two counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of rape, one count of assault by penetration, two counts of breaching an interim sexual risk order and four counts of the possession of indecent images.

During sentencing at Bristol Crown Court on 7 February, Judge Cullum said Vivian-Hucker "poses a danger to young girls and women" and there was a risk he would re-offend.

The 22-year-old met his victims online and impact statements on how his actions had affected them were read out in court.

One said: "I felt like I had to keep the pain hidden from everyone around me... even now I feel like I can't show them that this continues to haunt me. Some days I manage, other days, I'm drowning.

"I hope that one day [Vivian-Hucker] realises the profound damage he has caused. My life changed forever because of him and it will never return to what it was."

The other victim said they had suffered flashbacks and had sought therapy.

"At the beginning of this process I couldn't leave the house due to frequent panic attacks which often made me unable to get to work as I was too emotional to drive," they said.

DS Kate Hughes, from Avon and Somerset Police, commended the victims' bravery.

"They have shown immense courage, in both reporting Vivian-Hucker's crimes and also throughout the judicial process," she said.

"Their bravery has played a crucial role in making sure he is held accountable for his crimes and making sure a dangerous man is taken off our streets."

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