Addict raped woman who comforted him

Press, 18 March 1988, Page 17

Addict raped woman who comforted him

A glue-sniffing, alcoholic drug addict must have been out of control when he raped a woman who had invited him into her home to comfort him after he hid told her that his girl friend had broken up with him, Mr Justice Holland skid in the High Court yesterday. His Honour jailed Michael James Wilson, aged 20, a sickness beneficiary, for five years on a charge of raping a woman, aged 25, on November 22. Wilson had pleaded guilty. Evidence given at the taking of depositions was that Wilson went to the woman’s home in a distressed state and told her that his girl friend had broken up with him. She tried to comfort him. I I While talking to the woman; an a ; couch, [he ripped off her; underwear and hah; sexual intercourse | with her against her yvill. She kept telling him to slop. He hit her on the face while they were struggling. | ; | ;

He hit her on the jaw and than raped her a second time. The woman's daughter, aged two, [came into the room crying while her mother: was being attacked. For Wilson, Mr [ Tony Garrett said that his [client had no recollection of hurting' the woman or striking her with a blosed fist. Before visiting the woman Wilson had (drunk two bottles of screwdriver — vodka and orange juice — and had been sniffing glue. He was in a distressed and highly emotional state after being rejected:by his girl friend and had sought comfort from the woman. Wilson was sorry for what he had done. Wilson had a long history of alcohol, drug , and solvent abuse and [was in desperate need of| treatment, Mr Garrett said. x Mr Justice Holland said that after reading the depositions he felt some sympathy for Wilson, but at that stage he had no knowledge of his record.

For a person of! his age, he had an appalling list of convictions. | j He had eight convictions for assault and a frightening number for other offences. | "You are a prime example of what happens to youths who abuse drugs, solvents and alcohol. In this case you abused the trust of a [ woman who tried to comfort [you and, in response, you raped her,” said his Honour. Wilson was a menace to the community unless he changed his ways and did something to overcome his dependency on drugs, solvents and alcohol. In his favour, he had acknowledged his guilt the day after the offence and had expressed his regret to his victim. He saved the ! woman from the ordeal! of having to give evidence. But the sentence had to be a long one because he could not take ! a chance with Wilson because of his terrible, record, said Mr Justice Holland.