MMA Fighter Charles Goodwin Sentenced To 17 Years In Jail For Rape, Sexual Assault
Charles Goodwin, of Hilbre Street, Liverpool city center, l has been sentenced to 17 years in jail today after he was convicted of rape, sexual assault, assault by penetration, and attempted choking against three women in separate incidents in Manchester and Liverpool.
Goodwin, 21, who trains at Predators MMA in Manchester is an amateur mixed martial arts fighter was initially released from police custody on investigation for a prior accusation, before he went on to sexually assault a female undergraduate less than a year later.
In January 2020, a woman, who cannot be named due to legal reasons, had met with Goodwin at a Manchester nightclub, before returning to her flat with the 21-year-old mixed martial arts fighter.
Expecting her friends and flatmates to return later that night, the woman had refused to return to Goodwin’s flat in Salford upon invite, instead, getting a taxi back to her flat with Goodwin at around 2:20 am that same night.
Inside the apartment, Goodwin had initiated sex immediately, which the women had initially consented to. However, Goodwin would become violent toward the woman, physically striking her, verbally abusing her, choking her, and attempting to perform sexual acts despite her refusal.
Upon the women’s friends and flatmates return to the building, they had interrupted Goodwin, allowing the women to get away from him, before she had then asked him to leave the flat, resulting in becoming belligerent and verbally abusive toward the woman and her flatmates. After Goodwin left, the woman contacted the police.
Following the initial attack, Goodwin was released from police custody on investigation, before law enforcement was made aware of two further incidents in which Goodwin sexually assaulted a 19-year-old woman in Liverpool, before raping a 20-year-old woman at the same address on London Road, Liverpool in September of that year.
Following an investigation, Greater Manchester Police charged Goodwin with rape in February of last year, where he was subsequently placed on electronic tag and placed on curfew ahead of his trial.
In May of that same year, police had been made aware from reports that Goodwin had sexually assaulted a 21-year-old woman at an address at Skelhorne Street, Liverpool. Goodwin was subsequently arrested, charged, and remanded in custody.
Charles Goodwin has begged one of his victims not to contact police following her sexual assault
Attending trial in January of this year, Goodwin was found guilty on three charges of raping a woman in Manchester, as well as assaulting her by way of penetration. Goodwin was also further charged with raping a woman in Liverpool.
Convicted of two further offenses of sexually assaulting a third woman in Liverpool, Goodwin was, however, cleared of sexually assaulting a fourth woman in Liverpool.
Reacting to today’s sentencing of Goodwin, Kevin Boyd, Detective Constable from GMP’s City of Manchester District said: “We’re pleased with today’s result, that shows categorically, this kind of violence toward women and girls will not be tolerated in Greater Manchester.”
“No-one should be at risk when going about their daily lives, and we want all members of our community, especially women and girls, to feel safe as we strive every day to make Greater Manchester a safer place to live.”
“I would like to thank the victims in this case for having the courage to report what happened to them, and for going through the ordeal of a trial to help us make sure that (Charles) Goodwin was held accountable for his crimes. I hope today’s sentence gives them some closure to be a difficult chapter in their lives.”
“I would also like to thank out colleagues at Merseyside Police for their efforts in working with us on this extensive investigation to ensure that (Charles) Goodwin was brought to justice.”
