- Key Points:
- Sentence of Benjamin Puddy, age 29, was pronounced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, September 25, 2026, when he was given a jail sentence for 10 years and further four years under supervision.
- Puddy was found guilty by a jury in May 2026 of rape of two young vulnerable people in Bristol in traumatic circumstances in February 2022 and October 2025.
- Puddy’s second rape happened while he was out on bail following a charge of the first rape, which occurred in August 2024.
- Both crimes involved isolation, psychological harm, and unpleasant strangulation, and in the second rape, the victim was thrown out of the car half-naked.
- According to Judge Julian Lambert, Puddy had a “cruel personality” and disregard for the physical and psychological integrity of other people.
- Puddy has 11 previous convictions in 27 offenses of assault, harassment towards women, and distribution of private images to cause distress.
- Puddy was made a lifelong registration as a sex offender and is not allowed to contact the victims of his crimes forever.
Bristol (Bristol Express News) September 29, 2026 — A vile predator who subjected two vulnerable teenagers to harrowing ordeals of sexual violence—including a second attack carried out while he was on bail for the first—has been put behind bars. Benjamin Puddy, 29, who had no fixed address at the time of his offences, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, September 25, 2026, to ten years in custody and ordered to serve an additional four years on licence.
As reported by Angus McIntyre of Bristol Live, Benjamin Puddy preyed on the young women on two separate occasions, first in February 2022 and again in October 2025. The court heard that Puddy targeted his first victim when she was 17 years old. Prosecuting barrister Nicholas Lee stated that the victim, “was taken in the dark, late at night, to an isolated and dark lane while thinking they were going somewhere else,” adding that Puddy “(Puddy) knew that she was young and preyed on the fact she’d been locked out of her house.”
Despite being charged in August 2024 for the initial rape, Puddy was granted bail. Just months prior to his charging, court documents noted he had been working as a mechanic in Longwell Green. Operating while on bail, Puddy struck again in October 2025. As detailed in the proceedings covered by Angus McIntyre of Bristol Live, Puddy lured an 18-year-old woman to a car park, subjecting her to a prolonged rape involving strangulation before throwing her out of a vehicle in a state of undress after he ‘got what he wanted’.
What Impact Did The Attacks Have On The Victims?
Both survivors stepped forward to detail the profound, enduring psychological and emotional damage inflicted upon them. The first victim shared the harrowing reality of her ongoing trauma, as reported by Angus McIntyre of Bristol Live, stating,
“For the past four years I have felt like I wanted to bleach my body. I thought I was going to die that day when he put his hands around my throat.”
She described struggling with sleep, finding it difficult to trust men, and experiencing lingering anger. Addressing her feelings of self-blame, His Honour Judge Julian Lambert firmly reassured her:
“You really must not blame yourself,” and added, “Thank you for being strong in respect to this throughout the court process.”
The second victim, whose statement was read to the court by prosecuting barrister Nicholas Lee, explained that her worldview had been permanently altered. As highlighted by Angus McIntyre of Bristol Live, she stated,
“What happened to me has changed me in ways I never expected… for me it does not feel like it simply is in the past, I carry it with me every day.”
She added that she used to feel safe in the world, but now worries constantly about what could happen to her, particularly when she is alone in the dark.
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What Did The Court Reveal About Benjamin Puddy’s Background And Criminal Record?
The court heard that Puddy entered the care system at the age of 14, leaving him with deep-seated feelings of abandonment. Notably, he had no family or loved ones present throughout his trial—which concluded with a unanimous guilty verdict by a jury in May—or during his sentencing hearing. While acknowledging Puddy’s deprived background, Judge Julian Lambert noted there was a limited extent to which he could take his ‘very difficult and deprived’ upbringing into account, remarking, “A damaged person has gone on to do such terrible damage to others.”
According to records presented during the hearing, Puddy accumulated 11 previous convictions encompassing 27 offences. These included two previous convictions for battery and harassment against women, as well as an offence involving the disclosure of private images with intent to cause distress. Summarising the severity of the crimes, Judge Lambert stated, “Any rape is cruel. These were particularly cruel rapes with a very nasty element of strangulation involved in each.” Furthermore, Judge Lambert characterised Puddy as possessing all the hallmarks of someone with “a deeply cruel disposition and extensive disregard of the bodily and psychological integrity of others and a tendency towards sexual cruelty.”
As a consequence of his conviction, Puddy was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and faces an indefinite ban preventing him from contacting either of his victims. At the conclusion of the hearing, Puddy remarked, “Thank you, your honour,” appearing to sport a slight smirk as he looked at his victims while being led away from the dock. In closing, Judge Lambert offered a final expression of sympathy to the two women, telling them: “I am desperately, desperately sorry for your suffering. I hope some closure is now given to you. I use the word advisedly, ‘some.’”
Background
The sentencing of Benjamin Puddy follows a lengthy judicial process stemming from two distinct criminal investigations conducted by Avon and Somerset Police. The first incident occurred in February 2022, yet it took over two years for charges to be formally brought in August 2024. The judicial timeline highlights systemic discussions surrounding the handling of bail conditions for violent offenders, given that Puddy was able to commit a second, highly violent sexual assault in October 2025 while awaiting trial for the first charge. The case also underscores the ongoing legal and societal focus on violence against women and girls (VAWG), the severe legal weight assigned to crimes involving strangulation, and the institutional mechanisms supporting survivors through prolonged trial processes in Crown Courts across England and Wales.
This judicial development highlights critical scrutiny regarding the granting of bail to defendants facing violent and sexual assault charges, potentially influencing how magistrates and judges evaluate pre-trial release conditions for repeat offenders. For the local community in Bristol, Avon and Somerset Constabulary, and vulnerable demographics—particularly young women and teenagers navigating public spaces—the case reinforces heightened public awareness around personal safety, institutional accountability, and the long-term support systems required for sexual violence survivors. Furthermore, the robust sentencing handed down by Judge Lambert signals a zero-tolerance judicial stance on sexual cruelty and domestic or sexual harassment, which may set a firm benchmark for future rulings involving predatory offenders within the region.
