Victims reveal the lasting impact of Leon Bowes’ abuse. He was violent and stole years of their lives.
Bowes, age 34, was convicted in November for horrible crimes committed over 16 years. He appeared in court on February 6 for sentencing.
Police shared the women’s statements. They believe there may be other victims. One woman lived in fear of Bowes. She felt terrified by his violence.
She hardly recognizes herself now and gets mental health help for her trauma. Bowes stole years from her life and needs to be kept away from women. He liked causing her pain and fear, and she still suffers from his abuse. But she’s slowly starting to heal.
Another woman felt controlled by Bowes, describing it as suffocating. She didn’t see his control at the time, as he made her completely dependent. She still lives in fear constantly, feeling scared and paranoid.
Bowes sees women as inferior and uses them for his personal gratification, she said. She’s rebuilding her life slowly, but the trauma he caused remains daily.
Another woman said Bowes hurt her family relationships. He isolated her from everyone she knew, leaving her with only him. His harm still affects her today, and her life choices were based on that trauma.
Bowes never showed any remorse and denies all wrongdoing, even today. This doesn’t surprise her at all, but it angers her that he takes no responsibility. He must stay away from women forever.
One victim reported Bowes’ crimes in July 2023. Detectives investigated and found other victims, leading to Bowes being placed under investigation.
After a trial, Bowes was convicted on November 18. The Leicester Crown Court held the trial. Bowes lived near Narborough and Littlethorpe.
He was convicted of many charges. These included ten counts of rape, eight counts of ABH, two counts of controlling behavior, and two more for sexual assault. One count was intentional strangulation, another was for weapon threats, and he also faced one count of harassment.
Bowes pleaded guilty to other crimes before. These included one count of affray, malicious communication, one count of common assault, and a drug possession charge.
These guilty pleas involved incidents from July 2023, involving one woman and three others. The jury found Bowes not guilty on one ABH charge and could not reach a verdict on another ABH charge.
Bowes received a life sentence and must serve over 17 years and 4 months before parole.
Sergeant Hendrie led the investigation and felt honored to work with the women. They trusted her and shared their terror. She thanked them immensely for that.
Because of them, a dangerous man is in prison. He will not be able to hurt other women. The sergeant believes he would still be abusing women without their bravery.
Hendrie believes other victims may exist and encourages them to come forward now. Any reports will be investigated fully. It’s not too late for them to speak.
Sgt. Hendrie and an advisor supported the victims. They helped the women through the process.
One woman felt heard by the judge and jury. Hearing Bowes defend himself was tough, and she almost felt helpless during it all. She trusted Sgt. Hendrie, which helped her get through it all. The support made it easier during hard times.
Sgt. Hendrie said victims are not alone. Police will help and support them. They are ready to listen to victims.
Victims can call 101 to speak with police now. They may also visit the force website. There is a sexual offences section there.
