Sex attacker shaved woman's head in 10-hour ordeal

Chloe Harcombe
BBC News, Wiltshire
Google A group of red-brick houses with green lawns and cars parked outside.Google
Tommy Hitt shaved the woman's head and sexually assaulted her

A man sexually assaulted, strangled and shaved the head of a woman during a "traumatic" ten-hour ordeal.

Tommy Hitt, of Springhead, Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, held the woman at his property against her will on 21 February.

She has been left with life-changing injuries after Hitt fractured her eye socket and smashed several teeth.

Hitt was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court on 13 June.

During a court hearing on Wednesday, the 46-year-old pleaded guilty to strangulation, false imprisonment, grievous bodily harm, threats to kill, criminal damage, possession of cannabis and two counts of sexual assault and actual bodily harm.

Det Con James Gatherum, from Wiltshire Police, said the woman's mobile phone was deliberately damaged by Hitt before the attack.

"She has lasting damage to both her retinas and lost a number of teeth.

"The victim was also sexually assaulted twice during those 10 hours, with threats being made by Hitt that he would kill her.

"To add further degradation to the victim, Hitt forcibly shaved her hair off."

He added that Hitt drove the woman to another location and repeatedly assaulted her inside the vehicle before she managed to escape.

Police praised the woman for her "incredible bravery" in reporting the "traumatic experience".

Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.

Related Internet Links