PRESS RELEASE : Violent rapist, Samuel Moulder, to spend longer in prison after referral to the Court of Appeal [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 18 January 2023.

A man who raped a woman twice has had his jail term increased after the case was referred to the Court of Appeal for being unduly lenient.

Samuel Moulder, now 34, denied attacking the woman twice in 2017. The first offence took place in a hotel and the second, which was aggressive and violent, took place in the victim’s own home.

On 8 September 2022 at Gloucester Crown Court, Moulder was sentenced to eight years in prison, he was given a restraining order against his victim and placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Following the sentencing, it was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme for being too low.

On 18 January 2023, the Court found his original sentence to be unduly lenient and increased it to 12 years’ imprisonment.

Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson KC MP said:

“Rape is always a horrific crime, but this case has had particularly awful repercussions on his victim.

I welcome this increased sentence which better reflects the long-term harm caused. It sends a clear message that violent, sexual offences will be addressed with vigorous punishment.”