Birmingham Schoolgirl Wakes to Stranger Raping Her in Horrific Nightmare
A 14-year-old schoolgirl woke in terror to find a stranger raping her, with his hand clamped over her mouth to muffle her cries, Birmingham Crown Court heard this week. The victim had lost consciousness after consuming alcohol and cannabis at a property in Birmingham, having been lured there from the city centre by Rhyce Longstaff and his friend.
Predatory Attack on Unconscious Teenager
Rhyce Longstaff, 31, of Haydock Close in Hodge Hill, deliberately sought out the girl in an upstairs bedroom after she passed out, the court was told. He then subjected her to a repeated sexual assault, raping her on three separate occasions during the ordeal. When the terrified teenager awoke during the first attack, Longstaff immediately covered her mouth to silence her crying and warned her not to tell anyone, claiming she wouldn't be believed.
The girl passed out again from the trauma, only for Longstaff to return to the bedroom and rape her twice more. Before leaving the Sutton Street address in Aston, he stole her mobile phone to prevent her from calling for help. The device was never recovered, though phone data placed it in the same location as Longstaff's own phone twice in the following hours.
Sixteen-Year Sentence for Repeat Offender
Longstaff was found guilty of three counts of rape following a trial and was sentenced on Friday to 16 years in prison, with an extended six-year licence period. He attended the sentencing hearing via video link from HMP Birmingham, where he was seen repeatedly holding his head in his hands.
Judge Andrew Smith KC told Longstaff: "You must have either followed her or gone looking for her and found her in a very vulnerable, unconscious state. Her vulnerability was increased by being uncertain as to where she was and being among a number of older male strangers. The terror she must have felt to wake and find you raping her cannot be adequately described."
The judge noted that Longstaff had shown no remorse and that there was "no mitigation of note" in his favour. Longstaff has previous convictions for robbery, affray, and threatening someone with a knife.
Profound Trauma and Suicide Attempt
The victim's impact statement revealed devastating psychological consequences. She described losing all confidence and self-esteem, no longer recognizing herself in the mirror. She suffers from terrible nightmares and flashbacks so severe that she attempted to take her own life, seeing it as "the only way out."
She told the court: "I was fine for a bit but then I felt low again because what happened just won't leave my head." Despite this, she expressed determination that the attack would not ruin her life completely.
After Longstaff's arrest and conviction, she said it felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, though the psychological scars remain profound.
Legal Proceedings and Defence
The attack occurred in the early hours of October 11, 2024, when Longstaff and a friend encountered the girl and two of her friends in Birmingham city centre. He quickly invited them back to the Aston address, where the victim consumed substances that led to her losing consciousness.
Defence barrister Justin Hugheston-Roberts had little positive to say about his client, simply asking Judge Smith to avoid a life sentence and impose the most lenient punishment possible within his public duty. The judge ultimately determined that the severity of the crimes and Longstaff's lack of remorse warranted the substantial custodial sentence.
For mental health support, contact the Samaritans on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
