After finding her drunken and struggling on the streets, a male predator targeted a 15-year old girl. He claimed to be a Good Samaritan.
After celebrating the birthday of a friend in Manchester, she was pulled from a bar by Mark Topps for getting too drunk.
He grabbed her hand, 33 years old, and took her to his nearby Travelodge. There he sexually assaulted.
Topps is a proprietor of a car wash business and was sentenced to five years in prison for sexual assault.
After the unidentified girl had visited Manhatta (a New York style cocktail bar) in Manchester’s Spinningfield’s, she was attacked and killed.
Prosecutor Alaric Bassano stated that friends had drank prosecco together and that the girl was extremely intoxicated. She was able to walk and sway while she talked and lost her sense of direction. She was asked to leave.
Pictured: Mark Topps is currently in jail for 5 years and 8 months. He targeted a young girl, who had been expelled from a Manchester bar due to her drinking habits.
He stated that the girl had been taken to her room by her friend. The taxi driver took the girl out and then stopped the vehicle and pulled her away.
She was clearly extremely drunk when she approached the defendant.
“He purposely walked towards her at a slow pace, and engaged her once he reached her. He grasped her hand and they began to walk together.
Topps took her by taxi to the Travelodge, where he carried her with his arm around his shoulders to his room. This helped her keep her balance.
According to Mr Bassano, “Throughout the remainder of the night the girls friends tried to contact her. Police were called after it became apparent that she hadn’t arrived at the house she was supposed be staying at.
“The girl has no memory of the events that took place between Manahatta and the moment she woke up. She was surprised to discover she was naked with a man she didn’t recognise, partially lying on her stomach.
Court heard that the fifteen-year-old had been expelled from Manhatta, Manchester. There she was celebrating her friend’s 15th birthday.
“He saw her confused, startled look and then asked what was wrong.
She exclaimed, “I have never seen you in your life. Who are you?” He faltered when he replied “Er…Josh”.
According to Mr Bassano, the victim fled from his bed and changed before answering a call from a friend.
“She said to her friend that she did not know where she was, and she ran out of the room. She followed the defendant and was talking to her friend on the phone.
She ran up to the hotel reception and called the police.
The receptionist discovered that she was shaking and suffering from extreme anxiety. The defendant was seen looking very anxious in the reception area.
Topps led the girl back to his Manchester hotel room, the Travelodge (pictured), where he brutally attacked her after she had been drinking.
“He was just about to get out of the hotel when the father of his friend detained him. After finding out that she was drunk, he claimed he helped her.
He claimed that he took her out of danger and drove her to the hotel in a taxi. This claim is untrue and unrealistic.
The judge stated that if he were motivated to assist, he would have called her family on her mobile phone or reached out to the police. He recognized she was drunk but admitted to finding her attractive.
“A good Samaritan doesn’t commit sexual assault against the person he claims to be helping.”
“He deliberately caused a vulnerable individual to go with him to the hotel and had an ulterior sexual motivation for doing this.”
Topps, who was later arrested at the hotel, told police that he booked a room in there following an argument with his girlfriend.
After Topps was sentenced to five years, eight months in prison at Manchester Crown Court, Judge Alan Conrad, QC, ordered Topps (33-year-old father of one) to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Tests revealed that Topps was the owner of a mobile car washing business and had molested Topps while she was in a stupor. However, it’s not believed they ever had sexual relations.
The girl stated that she is still in great distress at the details of what happened on that particular night, according to a court statement.
She spoke out about her frequent nightmares and panic attacks.
It was further stated that she also suffered from anxiety, shame and embarrassment. This has had an adverse effect on her education, and it is difficult for her to focus.
‘My mock GCSE results weren’t as anticipated and owing Covid, these results added to my final grades.
“A family vacation had to be cut short because the hotel reminded me of my accommodation that night, and I was suffering panic attacks.”
Henry Blackshaw, his lawyer for mitigation said that he was saddened at the pain he would cause to the complainant’s family.
He said, “It resonates for him in the circumstances because he had his own daughter. And he is very sorry.”
He didn’t think she was below age. He misread some physical lines from her, but accepted she was intoxicated.
Topps was sentenced by Judge Alan Conrad, QC. He said that Topps was only 15 years old at the time of her sentencing. She was also vulnerable because she was intoxicated to extreme levels.
“She didn’t know what she was doing, and it would have been obvious to her.”
She needed your help. Instead, you took advantage of her and drove her back to the hotel. She suffered a lot from what she experienced.
Topps pleaded guilty to assault by penetration, and was sent to prison for five years eight months. Topps was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison. He was also required to sign for life the Sex Offender Register.