Woman raped in park by ‘total gentleman’ who flirted with her in bar

A mum-of-one is urging rape victims to speak to police as quick as possible after she was attacked by a man she met in a bar.

Hannah Gollings, 30, had got chatting to ‘gentleman’ Jonathan Corry, 26, on a night out and the pair decided to head back to his for a drink.

But just 10 minutes later he placed his hand over her mouth and dragged her into a park, before raping and beating her.

‘I desperately tried to fight him off, but he was too strong. Tears streamed down my face as he raped me,’ Ms Gollings, who waived her right to anonymity, told Fabulous Digital.

‘Afterwards, I stumbled to my feet and Jonathan punched me in the face. I fell to the ground and he hit me again. Then he threatened to kill me if I told anyone what he’d done.

‘I was terrified but pretended to be unconscious so he wouldn’t hurt me again. Thankfully he fled the park.’

Ms Gollings, from Carlisle, then ran to a nearby friend’s house and they took her to the police station to immediately recount what had happened.

The next day she went to Royal Preston Hospital and doctors found that she had 26 separate injuries, most of them bruises and grazes.

‘Back at home, I told my parents what had happened. And Jonathan was arrested later that day,’ she said.

‘Because I’d reported him so quickly, police had enough evidence to charge him and hold him on remand.’

In February 2016, Corry, of Longlands Road, Carlise, denied rape and witness intimidation at Carlisle Crown Court.

Ms Gollings was forced to testify at the trial, in which he claimed that the pair had consensual sex in the park.

The jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to 10 years and eight months behind bars.

Since then, Ms Gollings has struggled with post traumatic stress disorder and suffered flashbacks of the attack.

But the brave mum says she ‘won’t give up’ telling her story and encouraging others to do the same.

‘I know that speaking out is tough but it’s so worth it,’ she said.

‘There are other men like Corry out there, hiding their true nature behind jokes, charm and handsome smiles. And, just like him, they deserve to be in jail.’