Sheffield judge brands sex offender 'filthy old man' as he jails him for subjecting woman to six sex assualts

Defendant, William Keedy, was given access to the young woman’s property on April 23, 2022 in order to provide her with a quote for some work on her home; and over the course of around an hour, he proceeded to sexually assault her, the complainant, on six separate occasions.

As he sent 45-year-old Keedy to begin a nine-month prison sentence, Judge Peter Kelson KC told him: “You pestered and harassed her like a flithy old man…your behaviour towards her was like [that of] a neanderthal. Society has moved on from that.”

He added: “Young girls and women – like this one – should know that the courts will support them when they are behaved towards like you behaved towards her. She had the courage to pursue this through the courts, and she was right to do so.”

Outlining the prosecution’s case against Keedy during a hearing held at Sheffield Crown Court on May 25, 2023, barrister, Andrew Bailey, described how Keedy’s inappropriate behaviour towards the complainant began with lewd comments about how he hoped to see the her naked, and soon became physical in nature.

“In the downstairs hallway, he said she should go in front of him and then smacked her bottom as she went upstairs. He grabbed her breasts on top of her clothing. He tried to kiss her, she had her arms up pushing him away,” Mr Bailey said, adding Keedy ‘continued to try and grab her’ and, as he did so, she repeated the word ‘no’.

Keedy subsequently procceded to pick the complainant up on two separate occasions – one of which took place in the master bedroom – before placing her down, and lying down on top of her and attempting to forcibly kiss her, the court heard.

"She became frightened about what was going to happen, she kept trying to escape away from him…he said he wasn’t going to take no for an answer,” Mr Bailey said.

The complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, eventually managed to escape Keedy, left the house and took refuge in her car.

In a statement read to the court, the complainant said the sexual assaults Keedy subjected her to has ‘changed the way I live my life,’ and stated that she now finds it hard to trust people, and is ‘fearful of everyone around me’.

"I feel the need to be around family members, this has had a huge effect on my independence and mental health.”

Keedy, of Bentley Road, Doncaster pleaded guilty to the six counts of sexual assault he faced at an earlier hearing.

Defending, Stephen Littlewood, said: “This defendant is truly remorseful for his actions, he is incredibly ashamed of what he has done.”

Mr Littlewood said that should Keedy be sent to prison it would have a detrimental effect upon his wife, who has significant health problems, his mother and daughters, all of whom are reliant upon him.

Judge Kelson told Keedy, however, that the only ‘appropriate’ sentence was one of immediate imprisonment, and sent him to begin his nine-month prison sentence. The judge also granted a 10-year restraining order, prohibiting Keedy from contacting the complainant.

*South Yorkshire Police were asked to provide a custody image of Keedy, but a spokesperson said the force does not hold one of him.