Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Lynda Roughly

Family shout out in court as rapist grandson is convicted

A man was convicted today of raping two students and sexually assaulting another.

Charles Goodwin, a mixed martial arts fighter, was told by a judge to expect “a lengthy period of imprisonment”.

The 21-year-old business management student was found guilty of three charges of raping one student in Manchester, and of assaulting her by penetration. He was also found guilty of one charge of raping a student in Liverpool.

READ MORE: CCTV of shamed diners who dodged huge steakhouse bill

The jury also convicted him of two offences of sexually assaulting a third student in Liverpool but cleared him of a sexual assault on a fourth student, also in Liverpool.

The attack on the first victim involved him holding her down by the throat and he was found guilty of attempting to choke her and assaulting her.

The court heard he had told her she deserved to be “treated like a princess” and picked her and carried her - before going on to violently attack her in her own home.

He had faced three charges of rape against the second victim - to whom he had said he was “a sex god” when she complained he had hurt her - but was cleared of two of those charges.

Goodwin, of Hilbre Street, Liverpool city centre but formerly of Salford, showed no reaction when the jury returned their unanimous verdicts after just over six hours deliberations.

But his father and grandfather, who stood in the public gallery as the verdicts were returned, afterwards shouted “Shame on this court, disgusting."

Goodwin’s granddad shouted, “A young man’s life has been totally scotched and ruined.

“How can you believe someones lies to the court? It is really no way to deal with these offences.”

During his 13 day trial Liverpool Crown Court heard how he had been on police bail after the first attack but went on to commit the other attacks.

Judge Garrett Byrne told Goodwin, “I am going to order a pre-sentence report to be prepared by probation to include the extent to which you present a danger to women and the outcome of that may affect sentence.

“Please prepare yourself for a lengthy period of imprisonment,” he added. He further remanded him in custody to await sentence in March.

The offences of which he was convicted took place between January 15 and September 30, 2020.

Matthew Curtis, prosecuting, had told the jury, “The prosecution say the defendant did not care whether the complainants consented or not. In short, he got what he wanted with no care for them or the immediate consequences of his actions.”

Goodwin, who had a girlfriend at the time, admitted having sexual activity with all four women but maintained they had all consented and denied all 12 charges.

Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.