Dylan Sims, a 21-year-old from St Mary’s, Wantage, has recently been on trial at Oxford Crown Court.
He faced charges for three counts of rape and one count of assaulting a female by penetration. On May 8, the jury delivered a unanimous verdict, finding him guilty of two counts of rape and one count of assaulting a female by penetration. He was acquitted of one rape charge.
While Sims denied the charges, he had previously pleaded guilty on April 25 to two counts related to the supply of cocaine and one count concerning the supply of a class B controlled drug, cannabis.
Testimonies revealed encounters with Sims in Wantage. One of the women recounted meeting him in May 2021 when both worked in the area. Their acquaintance progressed to a night-time meeting where incidents occurred that later became central to the trial. Specifically, she narrated an experience at a park bench in Wantage, where despite her requests to stop, Sims continued inappropriate actions.
The woman, 17 at the time, also recounted a particular incident where Sims persuaded her to an alleyway behind a shop under dubious pretexts. During their time together, Sims reportedly engaged in unsolicited and intrusive acts.
With the second complainant, the narrative involved a night in July 2022. Following an outing to a local pub, the woman recounted how Sims provided drugs and joined her and a friend at their flat. The evening, intended to be social, allegedly turned criminal as Sims partook in continued drug use and later initiated non-consensual acts as the woman slept.
Legal proceedings included Sims’ arrest in August 2023, subsequent police interrogations, and an admission from Sims of deception during those interviews.
Sims is scheduled to receive his sentence at Oxford Crown Court on June 27.
