A vile rapist who attacked a woman while she was sleeping twice told her he had 'used her' while she was asleep and blamed her for his actions in a conversation with colleagues.
Ashley Iddon, 30, raped the victim on two separate occasions between 2013 and 2019, telling her he wanted to 'exercise control' over her. Sentencing, Judge Heather Lloyd told Iddon that he 'still seems to think what you did in raping her was acceptable'.
He admitted his crimes and pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, but shook his head in the dock as he was sentenced to 11 years in custody at Preston Crown Court. Judge Lloyd said she considered Iddon to be a 'dangerous offender' who posed a significant risk to women in the future, reports LancsLive.
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The court heard how on the first occasion, the woman awoke to the physical sensation that she had had sex. She spoke to Iddon, who said he had 'used her' while she was asleep. The woman was shocked and shaken by what had happened but did not report Iddon at the time.
On another occasion, the woman was asleep on a sofa when she woke to find Iddon having sex with her. The woman tried to brush it off but told Iddon to leave, Judge Lloyd said. Iddon told his victim he wanted to "exercise control" over her.
The woman said she was scared to report Iddon in case she was not believed, and said Iddon used emotional blackmail against her to buy her silence. However in March 2020, Iddon was arrested on suspicion of rape.
In a video interview, the woman told police Iddon constantly messaged her to the point she had to block him. Some of the messages related to what he had done to her and blamed her for the situation.
"She did the right thing", Judge Lloyd said. "How can she be blamed for what you did to her while she was asleep? No man is forced to rape any woman once, let alone twice. She wasn't to blame for the situation you found yourself in."
Following his arrest and interview, Iddon spoke to two work colleagues. He told one that the allegations were true but "she made me do it". He told the other it was all true, and admitted what he had done in a series of messages to his victim.
Judge Lloyd said: "Despite the fact I am told you are a well educated man, you still seem to think what you did in raping her was acceptable."
A pre-sentence report stated Iddon wanted to exercise control over his victim. The judge added: "What you did was purely for your own selfish gratification without any thought for your victim's wellbeing, knowing she could not consent."
The judge said she considered Iddon to be a dangerous offender who posed a significant risk to women in the future. Iddon, of Lever House Lane, Leyland, pleaded guilty to two counts of rape on the date he was due to stand trial at Preston Crown Court. Judge Lloyd said: "I am sure many who know you are shocked by what you have done, but it can't be said it is out of character because you offended against your victim twice."
She sentenced him to an extended prison sentence, with 11 years custody and three years additional licence. Iddon was also made subject to notifications for life and handed an indefinite restraining order, banning him from contacting the woman in the future.
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