A man aged in his 40s has admitted 32 sexual offences against his girlfriend who was allegedly drugged or asleep – the offences happened from January 2014 to September last year
A man has admitted 32 sexual offences at Northampton Crown Court (file)(Image: PA Wire/PA Images)
A man has admitted horrific sex attacks on his girlfriend over a period of more than 10 years while she was allegedly drugged or asleep.
The defendant, aged in his 40s, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Tuesday where he admitted 32 sexual offences which happened from January 2014 to September last year, including some attacks he recorded.
Ten of the offences, which include rape, sexual assault and assault by penetration, were committed “together with a person unknown”, the court heard.
Details on how many other people were involved were not heard by the court but recordings of some of the offences were found on the defendant’s devices.
The defendant, who stood in the dock wearing a green T-shirt, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of rape, 14 counts of assault by penetration, and six counts of sexual assault.
Four of the rape counts involved “a person unknown”, as well as four of the assault by penetration counts, and two of the sexual assaults.
The man was visibly emotional throughout his arraignment and asked the judge partway through: “Can I just have one moment please?” before sitting with his head down in the dock in silence for a short time.
The court heard that the defence disputes the prosecution’s claim the victim was drugged during all of the offences.
Prosecutor Alexandra Felix KC told the court: “The prosecution maintains all of these offences were committed whilst the victim had been drugged and stupefied. That’s not accepted in its entirety.”
She said the issue is whether the victim was “asleep or had been drugged”.
Defence barrister Nathalie Carter told the court: “(The defendant) made it clear to me from the beginning he didn’t want to contest any matters.”
Ms Carter said there would not be a Newton hearing, which happens when the facts of a case are disputed between the prosecution and defence.
Judge David Herbert KC told the defendant, who is due to be sentenced on September 18, that a “very substantial prison sentence is inevitable”.
The judge said he will need to consider “whether a life sentence is appropriate”.
