Man jailed for dragging woman from street

A 36-year-old man has been jailed for 12 years with an extended licence period after dragging a woman – a stranger to him – from a Bristol street and threatening to rape her.

Mitchell Lee Rogers, of no fixed abode, grabbed the woman as she was walking to work in Henbury, between 6.30am and 7am on Friday 1 August 2025. He pressed a sharp object against her neck and dragged her to a nearby flat. Thankfully she managed to escape.

Officers arrested him later that morning and he first appeared in court on Monday 4 August.

At a subsequent hearing Rogers admitted charges of kidnap and committing a criminal offence with intent to commit a sexual offence.

At a sentencing hearing at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday 21 April, His Honour Judge Martin Picton described Rogers’ crimes as “utterly horrific”, “chilling”, and “sadistic”.

HHJ Picton said Rogers had targeted someone who he believed to be a schoolgirl, in broad daylight and in a residential area. He added that the incident was all the more concerning as Rogers was under the influence of drugs and seemingly oblivious to his conduct.

Rogers was handed a 12-year prison term and, because the court found him to be a dangerous offender, on his release he will have an extended licence period of eight years. If he breaches the terms of his licence during that time, he can be recalled to prison.

His victim, an adult woman, suffered cuts, bruising and a neck injury, but has since endured significant long-term psychological harm, made worse by the lengthy court proceedings.

Officer in the case DC Bethany Burgess said: “Mitchell Lee Rogers is a dangerous and predatory man who targeted a vulnerable person who he believed to be a schoolgirl.

“He has left a lasting impact on the victim, and my heart goes out to her and her family. I want to praise the victim’s strength and resilience throughout the investigation.

“No length of sentence will make up for the damage Rogers caused and the trauma he inflicted. However, I hope that this sentence demonstrates that violence against women will not be tolerated and offenders who commit abhorrent crimes such as these, will receive a punishment that reflects the severity of their crimes.”