A British man discovered that his vile actions could have severe consequences after he sexually assaulted a woman in her own home. The 27-year-old convict now faces the prospect of spending the next five years and four months confined within the walls of a prison, but this is only one part of his retribution. Adding a grim icing to his proverbial cake of punishment, it was revealed in court that he may have contracted HIV during his heinous act.
Unbeknownst to the perpetrator, the victim was battling HIV at the time of the assault. Engaging in the crime without any protection, he subsequently learned about the victim’s health condition and the potential repercussion. Reports suggest that upon hearing that he might now be HIV-positive, the rapist fell apart in the courtroom, succumbing to despair and depression.
His attempts to escape jail time were relentless. In a futile effort to dodge responsibility, he pleaded that heavy alcohol consumption and rampant drug use on the night of the crime rendered him incapable of rational decisions. His substances of choice included cocaine and ecstasy. Despite his foggy memory of the incident, he chose not to deny the crime, only arguing that he wasn’t in a sober state when it occurred.
The police report paints a grim picture of Thomas prowling for a victim, intruding into the woman’s home and assaulting her while she was asleep. His victim had taken a sleeping pill and was rudely awakened by his attempt to violate her without her consent.
According to prosecutor Harry Pepper, “She froze, and no words were exchanged. He pulled up his shorts and left.”
His attorney, Virginia Hayton, maintained that Thomas’s intoxication blurred the events of the night. However, he conceded to her that if the victim claimed he was the culprit, it must be true because “she tells the truth,” as per the Telegraph. The details regarding whether Thomas knew his victim or it was a random assault are not explicit.
Judge Mark Brown handed down a sentence of five years and four months for this horrific crime. Alongside his sentence, Thomas has been required to register as a sex offender for life.
Though Thomas had prior convictions, this marked his first time facing the law for a sexual offense. Hayton suggested that Thomas is grappling with remorse and can’t comprehend his own actions.
His abusive relationship with drugs started young. By nine, he was consuming cannabis, and by eleven, he was consuming alcohol. His attorney disclosed that he was addicted to cocaine and ecstasy by thirteen.
The potential consequences of his crime hit home when he had to undergo an HIV test. As his lawyer said, “This [HIV test] has been hanging over his head. It’s his own fault. If he’d not committed this offense, he would not have placed himself in this position,” according to the Mirror.
Source: AWM
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