Girl tells court smell of chlorine still triggers panic attacks after shower assault
A teenage girl has bravely revealed how the smell of chlorine still makes her muscles tense after she was sexually assaulted in a public swimming pool shower by a man who claimed “it’s all a lie.”
Tomasz Figura, 46, was jailed for 11 years after being convicted of intimately touching the youngster while she showered – leaving her with “severe psychological harm” and plagued by “vivid nightmares” that replay the horrific attack.
The victim’s devastating impact statement laid bare the lasting trauma inflicted by Figura’s vile actions, as she told Doncaster Crown Court: “I couldn’t cope with the thoughts that plagued my mind.”
‘Crying Myself to Sleep’
In a heart-wrenching account read to the court, the brave teenager described the immediate aftermath of the assault that shattered her young life.
“I was crying myself to sleep and walking to school with puffy eyes,” she revealed in her victim impact statement.
The teen’s ordeal didn’t end with the assault itself – she was tormented by recurring nightmares and panic attacks that left her battling her own thoughts.
“I suffered vivid nightmares, those same scenes playing on repeat in my head. I had countless panic attacks and I was constantly battling my own thoughts,” she told the court.
Most haunting of all, she revealed: “To this day, the smell of chlorine makes my muscles tense.”
Predator’s Sick Gratification
Prosecutor Claire Holmes told the court that Figura, of Cave Street, off Beverley Road, Hull, received “sexual gratification” by watching the girl showering before he intimately touched her.
The 46-year-old had denied charges of assault by penetration, sexual assault and voyeurism – but a jury saw through his lies and convicted him after a trial at Hull Crown Court on April 8.
Even after being found guilty, Figura maintained his sickening denial, telling the court via video link from Hull Prison: “It’s all a lie.”
Drunk No-Show at Sentencing
In a display of contempt for justice, Figura failed to turn up for his original sentencing at Grimsby Crown Court on May 9 – admitting he was “drunk.
Judge Alexander Menary confronted the coward during the delayed hearing at Doncaster Crown Court, asking: “I was told the reason you didn’t come to court was that you were drunk. Is that correct?”
When Figura confirmed it was true, Judge Menary shot back: “Just because you were drunk is not a good reason not to come.”
Three days after his no-show, Figura was arrested for also failing to attend Hull Crown Court and was remanded in custody.
‘Dreadful Impact’ on Victim
Judge Menary didn’t mince words about the devastating effect Figura’s crimes had on his young victim.
“The dreadful impact on her was apparent at trial. There was severe psychological harm here,” the judge said.
John Dunning, mitigating, noted that Figura had no previous convictions but had received a caution in June last year for possessing an air weapon in his car.
The defence lawyer added that Figura suffered health problems and was now in a wheelchair, claiming: “That condition is likely to make any term of imprisonment much more arduous.
But Judge Menary was unmoved by attempts to garner sympathy for the predator, focusing instead on the lasting damage inflicted on an innocent teenager.
Justice Finally Served
Figura, who was assisted during the court hearing by a Polish interpreter, was handed an 11-year prison sentence for his heinous crimes.
The substantial sentence reflects the severity of the sexual assault and the profound psychological damage inflicted on the young victim, who must now live with the trauma of what happened every time she encounters the everyday smell of chlorine.
For the brave teenager who found the courage to speak out and see her attacker brought to justice, the sentence marks the end of a gruelling legal ordeal – though the psychological scars of Figura’s vile actions will take far longer to heal.
As she powerfully stated in court, the assault left her feeling like she wanted to “take off my body like a jacket” – a haunting reminder of how sexual predators rob their victims of their sense of safety and bodily autonomy.
With Figura finally behind bars where he belongs, perhaps this courageous young woman can begin the long journey of reclaiming her life from the nightmare he inflicted upon her.
Title: Hull Combined Court Centre
Author: David Wright / Geograph
Date & Location: 6 September 2006; Lowgate, Kingston upon Hull, England alamy.com+4commons.wikimedia.org+4flickr.com+4
License: Creative Commons Attribution‑ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY‑SA 2.0)
Original Commons page: File:Hull Combined Court Centre.jpg on Wikimedia Commons
