Graham Stubbs is in prison after sexually assaulting a woman at his home in Southsea, Portsmouth in September 2025. The 71-year-old exploited the trust of a 44-year-old woman who was unwell and staying at his address, first making unwanted advances that she rejected and then carrying out a more serious sexual assault while she slept. Stubbs was sentenced to eleven years in prison at Portsmouth Crown Court on 20 March 2026.
Who Is Graham Stubbs?
Graham Michael Stubbs was 71 years old at the time of his offending and lived at an address on St Andrews Road in Southsea, Portsmouth. He is not a public figure and had no prior profile before the case came to court. The offences took place at his own home address in September 2025. He was subsequently charged and prosecuted by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, and appeared before Portsmouth Crown Court for sentencing in March 2026.
What Did Graham Stubbs Do?
On Wednesday 10 September 2025, a 44-year-old woman was at Graham Stubbs’s home address on St Andrews Road, Southsea. The woman was feeling unwell at the time. While she was in that vulnerable state, Stubbs initially touched her chest over her clothing. The woman said “no” and clearly indicated she did not consent. Stubbs disregarded this refusal.
Later in the same visit, when the woman had fallen asleep, Stubbs carried out a more serious sexual assault by digital penetration. The victim was asleep and therefore unable to give or withhold consent. The offending took place over the course of the same evening and involved two separate acts of sexual assault, with the latter being the more serious of the two charges.
Cases involving the sexual assault of vulnerable or incapacitated victims are treated with the utmost seriousness by the courts. The Sentencing Act 2026, which came into force in England and Wales in early 2026, has introduced further changes to how custodial sentences are managed. For more information, see our guide to how the UK Parole Board works.
Investigation and Arrest
A report was received by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary on Wednesday 24 September 2025, approximately two weeks after the assault took place. The victim disclosed what had happened at the St Andrews Road address on 10 September. Officers investigated the allegation and Stubbs was arrested on Friday 26 September 2025. He was subsequently charged with two offences: sexual assault and sexual assault by digital penetration.
The gap between the incident and the report is not uncommon in sexual assault cases, where victims often take time before coming forward. Hampshire Police pursued the case and brought it to prosecution at Portsmouth Crown Court.
Court Proceedings
Graham Stubbs appeared before Portsmouth Crown Court to face the two charges of sexual assault. The case proceeded to sentencing on Friday 20 March 2026. The court heard full details of both incidents, including the fact that the victim had been unwell and therefore in a particularly vulnerable position, that she had explicitly said “no” before the first assault, and that the second and more serious assault had occurred while she was asleep and unable to consent or resist.
These aggravating features — the exploitation of a vulnerable victim, the disregard of a verbal refusal, and the commission of a further more serious offence while the victim was unconscious — all weighed heavily in the sentencing exercise. The court also took account of Stubbs’s age and any relevant personal mitigation before arriving at the final sentence.
Anyone wishing to contact a family member held in a category C prison can use our guide on how to send money to a prisoner for practical assistance.
The Sentence
At Portsmouth Crown Court on 20 March 2026, Graham Stubbs was sentenced to eleven years in prison. The court imposed eight years for the most serious offence — the sexual assault by digital penetration — but extended this to eleven years because of the nature of the offending, which included the targeting of a sleeping and therefore incapacitated victim and the earlier rejection of his initial advance. The extended sentence reflects the court’s assessment of the serious harm caused and the aggravating circumstances of the case.
Stubbs will be subject to the Sex Offenders Register for life following his conviction. He will serve a portion of his sentence in custody before being considered for release on licence by the relevant authorities. For general guidance on how the prison release and licence system works, see our overview of how to maintain contact with someone in prison during a long sentence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Graham Stubbs in prison?
Graham Stubbs is in prison because he sexually assaulted a 44-year-old woman at his Southsea home in September 2025. He ignored her refusal and later carried out a more serious assault while she was asleep. He was sentenced to eleven years in prison at Portsmouth Crown Court in March 2026.
How old is Graham Stubbs?
Graham Stubbs was 71 years old at the time of his offending in September 2025. He lived at an address on St Andrews Road, Southsea, Portsmouth.
What were the charges against Graham Stubbs?
Graham Stubbs was charged with two offences: sexual assault and sexual assault by digital penetration. Both offences occurred at his home address on 10 September 2025 against a 44-year-old woman who was unwell at the time.
How long is Graham Stubbs’s prison sentence?
Graham Stubbs received an eleven-year prison sentence at Portsmouth Crown Court on 20 March 2026. The court imposed eight years for the primary offence, which was extended to eleven years due to the aggravating nature of the offending.
Is Graham Stubbs on the Sex Offenders Register?
Yes. Following his conviction for sexual assault offences, Graham Stubbs is subject to the Sex Offenders Register for life. This is a standard requirement for convictions of this nature under UK law.
