Florida Teen Raped His Neighbor At Knifepoint; Offered To Do Yard Work To Make Up For It

WEST PALM BEACH, FL — A 20-year-old man who raped his neighbor in West Palm Beach — and then offered to do household chores to make up for the attack — has been sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence of 50 years.

Timothy Walding was convicted of sexual battery, false imprisonment, and armed burglary in October.

Prosecutors say Walding broke into his 35-year-old neighbor’s house in October 2017, tied her up, and sexually assaulted her at knifepoint for 90 minutes. At the time of the attack, Walding was 18.

The Sun Sentinel reported that Walding, who was wearing a mask, broke into his victim's home at around 4 A.M. and entered her bedroom. During the prolonged attack, the victim said that Walding raped her on the bed and also forced her to perform a sex act. After it was over, he took off the mask.

He told her that he picked the lock on her front door with a fish hook and allegedly said “you really should deadbolt your door, because I didn’t really want to do this but I had to do it.”

According to court records, Walding then asked if he could make amends by doing yard work or fixing something in the home. She declined, and then he asked her not to reveal what happened.

The victim testified that she agreed to keep the assault a secret and then shook hands with Walding. She then called 911 after he left her home.

Walding testified at his trial in October that he had a consensual sexual encounter with the victim. But the jury did not believe his version of the story.

In addition to his five-decade sentence, Walding also has been declared a sexual predator.

Read more: Sun Sentinel, New York Post