A NORTHWICH woman who was a victim of Daniel De Sousa’s sexual harassment, has spoken to the Guardian, urging other victims to ‘do what you think is right’.

De Sousa evaded an immediate prison sentence on Friday for a string of sexual offences against young women, instead being given a five-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and a three-year community order.

The victim, who wants to remain anonymous, said that she’s happy with the sentence, but does not believe he is sorry for what he did.

She said: “My initial reaction to the sentence was: ‘does that mean they think he’s safe for the public?’ and that it means that he gets to spend Christmas with his family. But then I realised the bigger picture of it. If he was sent to prison, he’d be out in ten weeks and then that’s it – but this way, at least it sticks with him for three years.

“I don’t think he’s remorseful whatsoever. He thought from the start that no-one would believe us and it’s given him a big shock.”

She also spoke of the impact his actions has had on her.

“What he did to me has changed me,” she said, “but I think I can move on now.

“I was prescribed anti-depressants – I couldn’t sleep and when I did I was dreaming about it. I couldn’t go out of the house – I never wanted to walk anywhere on my own.

“He told me that he knew where I lived and that he would come around, so I was constantly afraid in my home, even after he’d been arrested.

“It’s always going to be in the back of my head. All I wanted was closure from it.”

The victim said the case, which dragged on for two years largely due to a late guilty plea, has plagued her life, but said she would do it again to stop it happening to someone else.

She added: “We’ve had people naming us all over social media and calling us slappers and from the start saying it would never go to court and no one would believe us. But it wasn’t thrown out of court like they said, and he admitted to the charges and now we have hopefully stopped it happening to others in the future.

“It’s been two years of this hell, but getting this sentence and knowing, in coming forward, I’ve helped stop it happening to others like me, it is 100 per cent worthwhile.

“So, I’d say to anyone who is the victim of a sexual offence, just do what you think is right.”