Locations
Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S40
Description
This is the face of a Derbyshire rapist who took advantage of a young woman - paralytic on drink and drugs - to sexually attack her.
A judge told Simon Sowden what he did to the brave victim was "a horrific incident" for her.
In her own victim impact statement she told how she did not even want to look at herself in the mirror because of what the 32-year-old did to her.
She and her family showed huge courage to come to Derby Crown Court earlier this week to see Sowden jailed for 10 years and nine months.
But her attacker could not even begin to muster the same courage, choosing instead to turn away from the public gallery and shield his face from her during the hearing.
Now, after consulting with the victim, Derbyshire police has released a custody photograph of Sowden.
Sarah Phelan, prosecuting, said the sex attack happened in the early hours of the morning one day in April 2019.
She said Sowden met the victim in a pub in Chesterfield and the two of them drank heavily and took cocaine.
Miss Phelan said: "He took advantage of her when she was heavily intoxicated, took her back to his flat under the guise of protecting her when she was paralytic through drink and drugs and was not capable of consenting.
"Two taxis refused to take them and it was only a third taxi, driven by a female, who was prepared to take them.
"They arrived at his flat and she recalls taking her false eyelashes off.
"She said she then recalls feeling she was being (touched sexually) and then felt him inside her and could hear him moaning and breathing.
"She got to the bathroom, grabbed her things and left.
"There is CCTV of her trying to flag down an ambulance."
Miss Phelan said the victim rushed home and told her mother she had been raped and the police were called.
She said the defendant was arrested at around 9.45am in a van in Chesterfield and answered "no comment" to questions he was asked in two police interviews.
Sowden, of Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield, pleaded guilty to rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault but only on the day his trial was due to begin.