Lawrence Whyler jailed after following woman off public bus and attempting to rape her in bushes
A homeless man “off his face” on meth followed a woman off an Adelaide bus and pushed her in some bushes before attempting to rape her.
A homeless man “off his face” on meth followed a woman off a bus before indecently assaulting, pushing her into some bushes and attempting to rape her.
Lawrence George Whyler, 55, was jailed for more than five years after the terrifying assault late last year that left the woman enraged.
During sentencing, the District Court heard the victim was on a public bus on December 13, 2024.
The court heard she left the bus on Marion Rd about 9.45pm and began walking home when Whyler took hold of her, put his hand under her skirt and assaulted her.
“You then pulled and dragged (the victim) to the ground in the bushes and against the adjacent fence,” Judge Nick Alexandrides said.
The victim was yelling “get the f*** off me” as Whyler attempted to remove her underwear.
“The victim was wearing stockings which, fortunately, prevented you from getting your hands inside her underwear or removing her underwear,” Judge Alexandrides said.
A man who was standing on the footpath opposite yelled out and ran over, with the victim telling him to call police.
Whyler, who was asked not to leave, then took hold of the victim again and indecently assaulted her.
He eventually left the scene, with police later finding him hiding behind some plants in the carpark of a nearby store.
Whyler, of Daw Park, pleaded guilty to assault with intent to rape.
He was interviewed by police and his backpack was found to contain a knife and pair of women’s pantyhose.
Whyler told police he had followed the victim onto the bus in the city because he thought she was pretty and intended to have sexual intercourse with her.
“You said that you were homeless … and had sexual thoughts in your head,” Judge Alexandrides said.
“You had said that you were ‘off your face with meth’ and had been awake for four days.
“You had the pantyhose in your backpack, you said, because you have had a fetish for tights for years.”
The victim told the court she was enraged Whyler attacked her and she feels hateful towards him.
“She says that she was previously confident about her awareness of her surroundings but, since the attack, she has become more vigilant, more cautious and more wary and judgmental of people around her,” Judge Alexandrides said.
“She believes everyone in the community should be able to feel safe, regardless of who they are, where they are or how they look.”
Whyler was jailed for five years and one month, with a non-parole period of three years and 10 months.
The sentence was backdated to December 13, 2024.
More Coverage
Originally published as Lawrence Whyler jailed after following woman off public bus and attempting to rape her in bushes
