Lorry driver guilty of attempted rape near M1

A lorry driver has been found guilty of attempting to rape a woman he did not know after grabbing her on a country lane near an M1 service station.

Leicester Crown Court was told Tadeusz Podlasinski approached the woman on Baines Lane, near Leicester Forest East services, on 25 April and tried to push her into nearby bushes.

Prosecutor Michael Brady KC previously said the 60-year-old Polish national was "persistent" in his attempt to rape the woman but she was able to get away.

On Monday, jurors found Podlasinski, of Nowa Wies Wielka, guilty of attempted rape, attempted assault by penetration, and intentional strangulation. He is due to be sentenced on 3 December.

The court was told the woman had walked past the defendant's lorry, which had been parked in the service station car park on the southbound side of the motorway, at 18:23 BST.

Brady said she became aware a man she did not know was walking behind her, before he "approached her, grabbed her and attempted to push her into nearby bushes".

Jurors were told Podlasinski "demanded" the woman remove her clothes. She refused and began screaming for help.

"At which point the defendant grabbed her around the neck with sufficient force to restrict her breathing and cause visible bruising to her neck," Brady said, adding that Podlasinski threatened to kill the woman if she continued to scream.

The court heard she was able to push the defendant away and Podlasinski then walked off in the direction of Leicester Forest East services.

A report to the police was made, and three days later, on 28 April, Podlasinski was arrested at the same service station.

When questioned by police, the lorry driver "denied seeing, touching or speaking with her", Brady said.

The jury was also told that when Podlasinski was shown a photo of the woman, he denied having seen her before.

The court heard Podlasinski had described his activities on 25 April as "routine", insisting he had been "eating, contacting family, cooking, using the internet, and speaking with colleagues".

However DNA attributable to the defendant was detected on neck swabs taken from the woman and on her waistband, the jury was told.

Det Insp Jenny Tattersall said: "I'd like to place on record my thanks to everyone who came forward with information that led to Podlasinski being arrested and brought to justice today.

"I would like to commend the bravery of the victim both on the day and for providing evidence to the court."

Tattersall added "the fact he targeted a young woman he didn't know" was "most definitely predatory behaviour".

"He saw an opportunity to fulfil his sexual desires and he may well have gone on to do something similar again," she said.

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