A man who raped a 16-year-old girl and brutally assaulted her over a period of six weeks has been jailed for nine and a half years.
Callan Hennessey, 22, of Ferndene Road, Manchester, was sentenced on August 27 after being found guilty of one count of rape following a trial at Manchester Crown Court. He had previously pleaded guilty to assault, strangulation, the creation of indecent images, and a further assault.
Police were alerted to the abuse by the victim's relative after the girl attended hospital in April 2025 with two black eyes, bleeding to her ear, a swollen jaw and other abrasions to her head and face. When officers attended an address on April 8, 2025, they discovered bedsheets covered in the victim's blood. Hennessey was also seen with blood on him by a relative following the incident.
Investigation and sentencing
Following extensive enquiries, Greater Manchester Police found that Hennessey had assaulted and raped the girl, who was aged 16 at the time. The rape occurred several weeks before the assault in April.
In addition to the prison sentence, Hennessey will be subject to an indefinite restraining order and will be placed on the sex offender's register for life.
Police response
Detective Constable James Carter, from GMP's City of Manchester CID, said: “Firstly, I want to pay tribute to the victim in this case – this is something no-one should ever have to go through and her bravery and resilience has been remarkable.
“Hennessey violently attacked someone who is several years younger than him - a child - leaving her in a bloodied and terrified state following the incident. His vile actions, including rape and strangulation, now mean he is rightfully behind bars where he belongs.
“I would urge anyone who has been the victim of any similar crimes to please get in touch – we will do what we can to help you and work to get you the justice you deserve.”
Support for victims
Anyone experiencing abuse can report it to police via 101, online through police websites, or by calling 999 in an emergency. If you have been affected by any themes in this story, you can call Rape Crisis for free 24 hours a day on 0808 500 2222, or visit the website to start a free online chat.
