An Italian teenager has been sentenced to prison after sexually assaulting a vulnerable elderly woman on her doorstep while on holiday in the West Midlands. Lorenzo Bennin, who was 17 at the time of the offence, followed the pensioner into her home in the Black Country and groped her, leaving her shaken and frightened.
The victim, who was in her seventies and had mobility difficulties requiring the use of a walker, was approached by Bennin as she returned home in September 2018. According to court reports, he initiated conversation by asking if she had children his age and appeared lonely. Despite her polite attempts to end the interaction, Bennin followed her down the garden path and made an explicit proposition.
When the woman declined, Bennin forced open her front door and entered her porch, where he committed the sexual assault over her clothing. The victim managed to shout for help, prompting a neighbour to come to her aid and causing Bennin to flee the scene.
READ MORE: Jaguar Land Rover Transforms Solihull Plant to Produce First Electric Range Rover
Bennin escaped to Italy soon after the incident, attempting to evade justice. He was eventually arrested when he returned to the UK on holiday seven years later in April 2025, mistakenly believing that the police were no longer pursuing the case. Evidence including CCTV footage and coordination between UK and Italian authorities led to his identification.
During sentencing at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Judge Jonathan Gosling highlighted the lasting psychological effects on the victim, who continues to feel unsafe in her own home years later. He noted Bennin’s deliberate attempts to avoid the legal process by fleeing the country and emphasised the seriousness of the crime occurring within the victim’s home.
Judge Gosling imposed a 12-month immediate prison sentence and a five-year restraining order, expressing hope that this would provide some reassurance to the victim. Bennin, 25, who has no previous convictions, was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for ten years.
Defence counsel Gerard Colbon described Bennin as immature at the time of the offence and explained that since his arrest he has been reliant on family and friends while unable to work. Bennin had maintained employment at a garment factory in Italy prior to his arrest and expressed a desire to return to his job once released.
The court was told Bennin has not committed further offences since 2018 and has shown self-awareness regarding his behaviour. However, the judge made clear that the seriousness of the assault and its impact on the victim warranted immediate custodial punishment.