Holyoake drugged and sexually assaulted womenA CROSS-DRESSING sex beast has been jailed for 16 years after drugging and sexually assaulting three Trowbridge women.

Geoffrey Holyoake, 54, of Vallis Road, Frome, lured the women to his home where he performed sordid sex acts while dressed in a variety of costumes.

Holyoake took the women to his home, a former cemetery caretaker's residence, before drugging, torturing and assaulting them.

He decorated one room like a doctor's surgery and attacked the women with home made sex toys, manufactured from electric toothbrushes.

One victim said while she was being attacked, Holyoake threatened to bury her in the graveyard next to his home.

He was convicted in October and in his sentencing on Friday, Judge Carol Hagen said all three of the victims were vulnerable women.

Judge Hagen told Holyoake: "The three women all had problems with drugs or alcohol.

"All three were unlikely, in my view, to make a complaint and if they did, they were unlikely to be believed.

"You took them into your home which was something of a fortress and no doubt increased their fear.

"You subjected them to a terrifying ordeal and at times they were in very real fear of what was going to happen to them. Then they had to endure degrading sexual assaults."

Judge Hagen also ordered an extended sentence of 10 years, meaning Holyoake will be monitored when he comes out of prison.

The three victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, met Holyoake around Trowbridge, including The Malt House pub, formerly known as Zac's, on Roundstone Street, between June 2002 and July 2003

Speaking after the case one of the victims said she was pleased with the sentence but it could never change what she had been put through.

She said: "It was the next best thing that could have happened to him behind the death penalty.

"He is an evil and sadistic man who hates women. He is sick and at times was torturing me just for the sake of it.

"I have been trying to put my life back together but I still think about him a lot. But I won't let him ruin my life, so I've got to carry on.

"It has been a real worry up until this point because I never knew what was going to happen."

Holyoake was convicted on one count of attempted rape, three counts of false imprisonment, three counts of administering noxious substances and four counts of indecent assault. He was also convicted of possessing cannabis and amphetamines with intent to supply.

He was found not guilty of one count of rape and one of attempted rape.

Holyoake was put on the Sex Offenders Register and has seen a psychiatrist at Fromefield Clinic, Bristol.