Increased sentence for man who committed sexual assault

A Hertfordshire man who sexually assaulted a woman has had his sentence increased after it was referred to the Court of Appeal by the then Solicitor General Edward Timpson CBE KC MP.

Tayo Wisdom, 28, sexually assaulted the victim while she was sleeping in his flat, having gone there following a night out. Wisdom ended the assault when the victim woke up and asked him to stop.

On 11 July 2022, Wisdom was sentenced to 3 years’ imprisonment for assault by penetration at Wood Green Crown Court.

Following the sentencing, Wisdom’s case was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme because the then Solicitor General felt that the sentence was too low.

On 23 September 2022, the Court found Wisdom’s original sentence to be unduly lenient and increased it to 6 years’ imprisonment.

Speaking after the hearing, the newly appointed HM Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson MP said:

Tayo Wisdom took advantage of a particularly vulnerable victim in this shocking incident.

Today’s decision reinforces the message that such crimes, committed against victims who are asleep, will be treated especially serious by the courts.