Child rapist from Willenhall loses bid to clear his name
A Willenhall pervert who confessed to raping three children has had a belated bid to clear his name knocked back by top judges.
Wayne Robert Gutteridge, 38, claimed he was not in his right mind when he admitted carrying out sex attacks against three youngsters, all under the age of 13.
Gutteridge, of Brereton Road, Willenhall, was jailed for 16 years five months, with a one-year extended licence period, at Wolverhampton Crown Court in June 2016.
He pleaded guilty to nine offences of rape against the three children.
At London’s Appeal Court, Judge Johannah Cutts QC heard him claim his admission of guilt had been down to an addled mind.
Gutteridge had initially lodged an appeal during the first days of his jail term, but that was later abandoned, the court heard.
He later sought permission to resurrect his appeal, claiming his guilty pleas were down to the post-traumatic stress disorder he was suffering at the time.
Gutteridge argued he was ‘not thinking straight’ when he admitted his crimes and abandoned his appeal.
But Judge Cutts said: “This court must be satisfied that his mind didn’t go along with this abandonment.
“We see no evidence beyond his bare assertion that his mental state was affected when he decided to abandon his appeal.”
Gutteridge had ‘not got close’ to convincing the court that he should be allowed to renew his appeal.
