Rape pair sent to prison (From Bucks Free Press)

Pair sent to prison for brutal Amersham rape

3:47pm Tuesday 7th August 2012 in Crime By Andy Carswell

TWO rapists who brutally attacked their victim at an Amersham fly tipping site in revenge for the alleged theft of £100 have been jailed.

Elizabeth Seagrove and Matthew Costello's sadistic attack on their 18-year-old victim was in retaliation for their mistaken belief she had stolen the money from them.

Their response was to bundle to teenager into the back of a car and drive for nearly an hour to the remote Bottrells Lane, where her screams could not be heard.

The pair denied raping the girl but were convicted of the offence by an Aylesbury Crown Court jury.

Yesterday 40-year-old Seagrove, of Thorney Lane North, Iver, and 31-year-old Costello, most recently of Victoria Road, Farnham Common, were sent to prison.

Costello was jailed for nine years and four months for rape and Seagrove was caged for ten years and six months for the offence. She will also serve an additional two year prison term for drug offences, and will be the subject to a five year extended licence period when she is released from prison.

Jurors heard that in the early hours of October 30 Seagrove discovered some money had gone missing from her home and blamed the victim for the theft.

Seagrove slapped her before she and Costello forced the terrified teenager into a car. Setting off at 3.30am, they drove around for an hour before stopping at Bottrells Lane, a well known fly tipping site, and raping the girl.

Seagrove held their victim down by her hair and forced a scarf into her mouth to stop her screams while Costello raped her.

Investigating officer Det Con Ghulam Mourtaza said: "This was a brutal crime, terrifying this young woman. It was a vile punishment for a theft for which she was innocent.

"These sentences will hopefully bring the victim some closure and show that justice has been done and this kind of despicable behaviour will always be prosecuted."

Both Seagrove and Costello will be on the Sex Offenders' Register for the rest of their lives following the attack.