Maidstone Crown Court, where Bush's case was heard

by Keith Hunt

A pervert who molested a drunk woman while telling her the devil wanted it to happen has been jailed for two years.

Ellis Bush had originally been accused of raping the victim but his guilty plea to sexual assault was accepted.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Bush and the 23-year-old woman had been separately to the Casino Rooms in Rochester in November 2011.

She intended to get a taxi home when she left in the early hours but met Bush outside. They started talking and could be seen on CCTV cameras walking off along the High Street holding hands.

John Causer, prosecuting, said they went to the castle grounds. A taxi stopped but Bush, 23, insisted on walking her home.

He suggested a short-cut along Two Post Alley. She did not want to go that way because it was used by couples to have sex at night to the annoyance of residents.

“She describes it as creepy,” said Mr Causer. “At that stage alarm bells rang. He pushed her against the wall. She said continually ‘I don’t want this’. He insisted: ‘Yes you do.’

“She fell to the ground and banged her head. She was too scared to scream. She remembered him saying: ‘The devil wanted this to happen.’ He put his hand over her mouth. She was trying to get away.”

Bush, who was also drunk, put his hand up the woman’s skirt, pulled down her tights and touched her indecently. She heard him unzip his trousers and saw he had exposed himself.

"you knew she was drunk and vulnerable. you said the devil wanted this to happen. i take that as playing on her vulnerability" – judge michael carroll

She told him to stop and he did, said the prosecutor. He suddenly left and friends found the victim in the alleyway half dressed and in a state of shock.

She was medically examined, but nothing of significance was found. Bush was identified from CCTV film and he was arrested on November 30.

He admitted trying to kiss the woman but claimed nothing else happened.

Mr Causer said Bush had cautions for sending sexually inappropriate messages to a girl in September 2011 and hugging and molesting a girl in June 2007.

Ian Dear, defending, said there was a strong element of opportunism about the offence. The woman had shown odd behaviour, saying she saw monks and other figures near the castle.

“Although there came a point it was non-consensual, it came pretty late in the day,” he said. “He chose not to go any further. A pleasant walk down the street turned into something sinister.”

Mr Dear said Bush had been in custody after asking for his bail to be rescinded when entering his guilty plea in January. He had since kicked his cannabis habit.

“This was something of an aberration,” said Mr Dear. “His girlfriend is pregnant. Hopefully, it will bring about a new direction in his life.”

Judge Michael Carroll told Bush: “You knew she was drunk and vulnerable. You said the devil wanted this to happen. I take that as playing on her vulnerability.”

Bush’s name will be on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.