AS THE year comes to an end, here is a round up of the crimes and court cases that shocked Daily Echo readers the most.
Westquay rapist "pounced" on victim leaving her with "severe psychological harm”
Krystian Kwarta raped his victim after repeatedly banging her head against a metal pole outside Westquay Shopping Centre.
She believed she “was going to die” during the horrific attack in “broad daylight” on February 15.
Kwarta stood clutching a tissue and sobbing as he was jailed for eight years in July.
Rapist violently beat woman in city centre park
Luke West attacked a 40-year-old cleaner who was walking to work through Bournemouth's Lower Gardens.
Left with a fractured eye socket his terrified victim was found naked, badly injured and semi-conscious.
West, of Warren Avenue, Southampton was jailed for 16 years following an eleven day trial.
Postman abused boy in Royal Mail left victim wanting to kill himself
Jason Peach abused his 15-year-old victim in a case of “classic grooming”.
He would take the boy out on the pretext of “delivering parcels”.
Peach, was caught when his wife found indecent images on his phone.
He was jailed for seven years and will have to register as a sex offender for life.
Married policeman killed long-term lover in a pub car park
Timothy Brehmer was found not guilty of murdering his long-term lover.
The 41-year-old was accused of strangling nurse Claire Parry to death at the Horns Inn pub car park in West Parley in May.
However, he was jailed for manslaughter for ten years and six months.
Armed burglars raid home of Saints star while he was playing Premier League game at St Mary’s
Three raiders, brandishing knives and a barbecue skewer broke into Danny Ings’ home and stole electronic goods.
They also stole a van from his four-bedroom property in the Botley area.
Jack Cove was jailed for nine years for his part in the aggravated burglary.
Mother and daughter fined £600,000 for running illegal puppy farm.
Lucinda and Victoria Rolph advertised more than 190 litters of puppies for sale online.
The pair are thought to have fetched up to £1.5 million over five years.
The unlicensed operation ran between 2013 and 2018.
Men jailed for total of 25 years for firearms offences and attempted raid on drugs factory
Police found Hippo bags full of cannabis after attending to reports of gunshots in River Walk, Southampton last September.
Fardeen Hamidy, Christy Flatherty, Robert Johnston and Ken Mulangala were jailed for trying to burgle a cannabis farm.
Police later found the body of Sol Hemy in the water at Riverside Park
A post-mortem examination revealed that the 20-year-old died from drowning.
However, enquiries into the exact circumstances of his death are ongoing.
Man convicted of rape and decade of sexual assaults jailed for twenty years.
Stephen Boyt was jailed for sexually abusing and finally raping a teenage girl.
A jury found the 70-year-old guilty of the historical abuse which took place across Netley View, Calshot and Fawley between 1984 and 1996.
After raping his victim, he is said to have asked her how she lost her virginity.
Read the Daily Echo report here
Man planned to rape girl, 8, travelled across country with sex toys
Lance Baynes was caught with restraints, sex toys, and lubricant at a Hampshire service station.
He had planned to rape an eight-year-old girl.
Baynes was jailed for eight years at Winchester Crown Court.
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