Man who raped and punched woman convicted

A man who raped and punched a woman in Stoke-on-Trent has been convicted in court.

Audrius Zukauskas, 55, of Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, pleaded guilty at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Tuesday (16 September) to three counts of the rape of a woman and one count of assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm.

Zukauskas met the survivor at a bus stop on 16 August this year. He asked her if she wanted to come up to his apartment.

When she did, Zukauskas raped her and punched her in the face.

At 3.50am on 17 August, someone called 999 and reported that a woman was covered in blood and fighting with a man. That man was Zukauskas.

Officers arrived quickly and took Zukauskas away in handcuffs, while others stayed at the scene to speak to the survivor.

After admitting the offences in court, Zukauskas has now been remanded ahead of his sentencing date at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on 10 November.

PC Eve Loach, from our rape and serious sexual offences unit, said: “Zukauskas forced himself on the survivor and subjected her to abhorrent abuse.

“We will always seek to secure the toughest possible punishment for perpetrators of sexual violence in Staffordshire, and I’m glad we’ve now been able to deliver this outcome for the survivor.”

If you’re a survivor of sexual offences and you’d like to speak to us, call 101 or use Live Chat on our website.

Staffordshire Women’s Aid's Survive service offers free, non-judgemental and confidential support for those affected by sexual assault or abuse, including close family members and significant others. For more information and support, visit: Sexual Violence and Abuse - Staffordshire Women's Aid