Colchester rapist jailed after attacking sleeping victim
Shaun Western's victim had to wait five years to see the case go to trial - due to the COVID pandemic
A woman from Colchester who was raped while she slept has seen justice served on her attacker after an extensive and persistent investigation.
The woman, who told a court she struggled to leave her house following the attack, endured years of delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic before finally facing a trial in March.
She was supported throughout the case by a specialist detective and an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA).
Her attacker, 24-year-old Shaun Western, was convicted of rape at Chelmsford Crown Court and sentenced to six years and six months imprisonment on Tuesday 2 May.
The victim had been on a night out with friends in Colchester in September 2018, returning to a flat as the night drew to a close.
After she was put to bed, she awoke suddenly to find Western raping her.
She screamed, before Western jumped off her and fled the flat.
Police were contacted and arrested the defendant the next day, identifying several key witnesses and carrying out extensive inquiries.
In his police interview, Western, of Edward Paxman Gardens, Colchester, tried to claim the sex was consensual, but a jury saw through his story.
In a statement read to the court, the victim said the attack had impacted hugely on “every aspect” of her life.
She said: “Since this happened I started to suffer from night terrors.
“I never used to have issues sleeping, now when I have a night terror I start to drift off to sleep, I will jolt awake with the memory of Shaun on top of me.
“It would make me feel breathless and panicky.”
She said the attack had impacted on her ability to work and shattered her social life, adding she has since been diagnosed with depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Detective Sergeant Danielle Markoutsis, officer in the case, said:
“Western fled from the scene that night, before fleeing from his guilt throughout the subsequent investigation.
“Unfortunately for him, his victim stood strong, despite multiple court delays due to Covid and through the trauma and stress of a trial.
“Her strength of character throughout this process has been an inspiration.
“While delays in bringing this case to trial were outside of our control, the verdict and sentence serve as a stark reminder of our clear determination to bring sex offenders to justice.
“Our partnership working with the Crown Prosecution Service is excellent.
“The early advice process we have in place seeks to involve a lawyer in the very early stages of an investigation to agree a joint action plan with the officer in charge.
“This is helping to improve the timeliness of our investigations, leading to more solved outcomes and has now been recognised by the College of Policing, which has included this within their practice bank as evidence of good practice for other forces to follow.”
Western will be subject to an indefinite restraining order and will remain on the sex offender's register for life.