Rapist jailed for 15 years after attacks on two women in Cornwall

A two-year police investigation has ended with a Liverpool man being jailed for 15 years for a series of rapes and sexual assaults committed against two teenage girls in Cornwall more than a decade ago. The case only came to court after one of the victims received a message from her abuser on social media, seven years after the attacks.

Ryan Bungey, 27, of Derby Road in Liverpool, was sentenced at Truro Crown Court on Friday 1st May by Judge Simon Carr. A jury convicted him in December of five counts of rape and two offences of sexual assault. Bungey is now known as Eden Winters.

Years of Abuse Across Cornwall

The court heard that Ryan groomed and abused two teenage girls in Falmouth, Liskeard and near Helston during 2014 and 2015. He manipulated and controlled his victims through threats of self-harm, and on one occasion followed a victim on a family holiday, sleeping outside their accommodation for several days.

The first victim was befriended by Ryan after she moved alone to Falmouth to study. He isolated her and repeatedly raped and assaulted her over several months. The attacks took place in locations including public toilets and a children’s treehouse in Kimberly Park while children played nearby.

He tried to normalise the abuse by showing her extreme pornography, and threatened to take his own life in front of her family if she tried to leave. She eventually managed to escape after eight months.

Ryan then targeted a second young woman he met through college. He told her he was homeless and persuaded her to let him stay at her family home. Despite her repeated refusals, he raped her. When she told her friends what had happened, they confronted him. He falsely claimed he had already confessed to police, in an attempt to prevent her making an actual report.

The Original Investigation

The second offence was reported at the time, and Ryan was interviewed by police. He claimed all acts were consensual, and following a review the case was closed pending further evidence.

In 2022, Ryan tried to locate and contact the first victim on social media, seven years after the attacks. When she received his message, she immediately went to the police and reported what had happened to her in 2014. He was re-interviewed, and the original case was examined again in light of the new evidence.

Throughout the trial, Ryan maintained that the relationships were consensual and claimed the victims had exploited his mental health issues, an account rejected by the jury.

Police Response

Detective Constable Andrew Colley said: “This case highlights the importance of reporting such offences to the police, no matter how much time has passed.

“Information you hold could show that a single incident is actually part of a much bigger pattern of offending. Offenders of this nature are highly likely to re-offend.

“I encourage anyone who has experienced similar abuse to report it when they feel ready. Your information could bring an offender to justice, not just for you, but for others. Even if a case does not progress at the time of reporting, we continually review cases when new evidence comes to light.

“I want to thank the victims and witnesses for their bravery in coming forward and supporting this case, which I know will have been extremely difficult for them.”

Support Available

If you have been affected by this article, support is available.

You can visit victimcare-dc.org to access support services and information on your rights and how to navigate the criminal justice system.

You can also call Victim Support on 0808 1689 111 or Devon and Cornwall Police’s Victim Care Unit on 01392 475900.

Further advice and support is available from the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999, or the Devon and Cornwall Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC) on 0300 3034626.

For more information visit Devon and Cornwall Police’s Rape and Sexual Assault page.