Todmorden Mayor Guilty of Murderous Threats and Humiliating a Prostitute

At the time the Yorkshire Post reported that Winstanley tried to strangle the 30-year-old woman after telling her she would die if she didn't do what he wanted. After raping and threatening to kill his terrified victim, Winstanley then ordered the woman to go on all fours before urinating on her.

In court Winstanley admitted being with the prostitute, but denied assaulting her.

Sentencing the former Labour councillor, Judge Gerard Humphries said "Even prostitutes are entitled to say 'No'. You have fallen considerably in the eyes of people who thought highly of you, not least your wife and work colleagues but also those from when you were Mayor of Todmorden."

The former Labour Mayor of Todmorden, John Winstanley, was jailed for five years after he was convicted of raping the Prostitute and threatening to kill her.

As well as the jail term, Winstanley was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.