A British ski instructor who assaulted a man before viciously raping a woman as they left a pub at a popular Australian ski resort has been jailed.
Matthew James Williams was sentenced to ten years behind bars on Friday for attacking a 22-year-old woman and 25-year-old man in the early hours of July 5, 2018 in Jindabyne in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains.
The 29-year-old pleaded guilty to the attack in April, after the court heard the victims were left with such severe injuries police initially believed there was more than one offender.
The British man was in Australia at the time on a temporary visa working as a ski instructor at the famous Perisher Ski Resort.
Matthew James Williams (left), was sentenced to prison on Friday for attacking a 22-year-old woman and 25-year-old man in the early hours of 5 July 2018 in Jindabyne
Matthew Williams (pictured) followed a 22-year-old Australian woman and her 25-year-old male friend from a pub on 5 July last year
The ABC reported that CCTV footage captured the moment Williams pursued the victims after leaving Banjo Patterson Inn.
The court heard that the pair had been drinking with family and friends at the pub, and had also taken MDMA. Williams had been drinking at the same pub.
After following the pair from outside the pub, the 25-year-old male noticed him and said: ‘how’s it going mate?’
Williams didn’t respond to the greeting, but rather walked behind the man and touched him on the shoulder.
The man was then punched in the face before he fell to the ground as Williams kicked him until he fell unconscious.
Williams then turned on the woman and punched her in the face several times, causing her to fall to the ground.
She screamed and said: ‘What do you want? Do you want money? Take what you want.’ He then began to sexually assault her.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Williams then laughed at the woman before she lost consciousness.
She woke up with Williams pinning her to the ground and struggled to get free as he once again punched her before removing her clothes.
The woman struggled to free herself as Williams bit her breast while ripping off her clothing.
Her male friend regained consciousness and tried to intervene as she was being assaulted, but he was again kicked into submission.
The British man (pictured) was in Australia at the time on a temporary visa working as a ski instructor at the famous Perisher Ski Resort
The assault only ended when a car drove past and spooked Williams into fleeing the scene.
The woman later presented to a doctor where it was found she had severe bruising all over her body and face.
The man also sustained serious injuries, including a broken nose and broken eye socket.
Williams left a watch at the scene, which he originally claimed had been stolen by two men when questioned by police.
The day after the attack a co-worker noticed Williams ‘looked off’ and asked if he was alright, to which he replied: ‘I had a rough, rough night last night’.
Another co-worker saw Williams had an injury on his hand while he found it difficult to put on his ski gloves, but he claimed it was a skiing injury.
DNA testing also identified Williams as the attacker.
Williams originally denied his involvement in the attack but pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault, inflicting actual bodily harm with intent to have sexual intercourse with another, and possessing a prohibited drug in April.
Three other assault charges were dropped.
Justice Nicole Noman told the NSW District Court at Queanbeyan on Friday Williams was cowardly and violent.
‘[It] must have been horrifying in its intensity and severity,’ she said.
Williams apologised to the victims via a letter he presented to the court.
Defence lawyer John Purnell QC persisted that Williams’ actions were ‘out of character’, leaving severe consequences for both him and the victims.
‘[His] life is in ruins. His life will never be the same again,’ he said.
The female victim also provided a letter to the court, explaining that Williams will never understand the pain he inflicted on her.
Williams will not be eligible for parole for seven years.
At the time of the attack, Williams was on a temporary visa while working as a ski-cross and alpine racing teacher at Perisher Ski Resort.
The resort’s website listed him as a ‘highly experienced and knowledgeable’ teacher, who had been working with its snow school since 2014.
‘Matt is one of the most versatile members on the team and has proved himself time and time again coaching ski-cross and alpine racing,’ his online bio read before it was removed last year.
Williams was arrested by plain clothed police (pictured) at a unit in Jindabyne in July