Chester man jailed for rape and sexual assault offences

Declan Marno appeared at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday 19 May where he was sentenced to six years imprisonment.

24-year-old Marno, of Peckforton Way, Chester, had previously pleaded guilty to one count of rape and one count of sexual assault.

On Friday 4 April 2025, when Cheshire Police were contacted via 101 by the victim in this case, an 18-year-old woman, who reported that on Friday 28 March she had been orally raped and sexually assaulted by Marno, who had joined her and a group of friends on a night out in Chester city centre.

The victim went on to say that following the night out, the group returned to the address of the victim’s friend, where it was agreed that Marno and the victim would sleep on opposite ends of a sofa overnight.

At some point during in the night, Marno pulled down the victim’s shirt and sexually assaulted her before going on to orally rape her.

The victim passed out during the incident, however, the following morning she challenged the behaviour of Marno, telling him she remembered what he had done.

Marno admitted to the assault and the oral rape and, following the victims’ bravery in contacting Cheshire Police, he was arrested and taken into custody.

However, he gave officers a pre-written statement denying any wrongdoing and refused to answer any questions put to him.

Despite this, he pleaded guilty to the offences at his first appearance in court in February 2026.

Detective Constable Emma Flanagan, of CID Reactive West, said:

"I cannot imagine how traumatising this experience will have been for the victim, a young woman who had enjoyed a night out in the city centre surrounded by people whom she believed she could trust to look out for her.

"Declan Marno abused this trust and acted upon his own selfish desires in the pursuit of sexual gratification, preying on her when she was at her most vulnerable and not once taking her feelings, wishes or consent into consideration.

"Whilst sadly, nothing can be done to turn back the clock on what has happened, I do hope that now Marno has been held accountable for his actions and has been put behind bars for the next six years, the victim can begin the process of healing.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank her for the bravery and strength she has shown throughout this entire investigation. Having to recount what had happened to her will have been an emotionally challenging endeavour, yet it was her evidence that proved vital in us securing this conviction against her attacker and getting her the justice she deserved."

Alongside his custodial prison sentence, Declan Marno has also been placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.