A 63-year-old man has been found guilty of attempting to rape and sexually assaulting a woman after meeting her at a pub in Shoreham.
Michael Schuchard was convicted by a jury at Lewes Crown Court last week following an investigation by Sussex Police.
The court heard that Schuchard met the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, at a pub in Shoreham before taking her back to his van.
The woman was unable to recall how she had ended up inside the vehicle and woke up in the van, where Schuchard attempted to rape and sexually assaulted her.
Following the incident, the woman disclosed what had happened to NHS staff, and the matter was subsequently reported to Sussex Police.
Officers launched an investigation, which led to Schuchard's arrest.
At Lewes Crown Court on 5 November, Schuchard was sentenced for attempted rape, and two counts of sexual assault by penetration. He was acquitted at trial of one count of rape.
He was jailed for eight and a half years, and will be a registered sex offender for life.
The court heard how the incident happened between 22 and 23 May this year.
The victim was not able to consent to sexual activity, but Schuchard, of no fixed address, forced himself upon her inside his van after leaving a pub in Shoreham.
She described the ongoing nightmares and trauma as a result of the incident, and said giving evidence in the trial has also added to the traumatic experience.
Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Tia Grove said: “This was a horrifying ordeal for the victim, who reported the experience to health professionals.
“I would like to commend her for her courage to report what happened to the police and to give evidence in court.
“We were determined to get justice for the victim in this case, and Schuchard is now serving a significant custodial sentence.”
Further help and support for victims of serious sexual offences is available on the Safe:Space Sussex website.
More guidance about how Sussex Police investigates reports of serious sexual offences is available of the force website.
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