Randall Reynolds 29

Description

A rapist who tried to impress a woman by claiming he rapped with Dappy of N-Dubz threatened to firebomb her house after sexually assaulting her.

Randall Reynolds, 27, knew his victim was aggressively drunk when he raped her in January.

Swindon Crown Court heard how Reynolds had assured the victims friends nothing would happen when they left her house for 40 minutes to go to the shops. Instead, he used that time to rape her.

Judge Jason Taylor QC assessed that the defendant posed a significant risk of serious harm to members of the public and that the public needs to be protected as he handed Reynolds a lengthy custodial sentence.

The defendant had initially reached out to the victim on social media, telling her he was famous and trading off the story that he had rapped with Dappy.

They agreed to meet in a pub in Swindon and the victim brought her friends with her on the date for added reassurance.

According to the prosecution, the victim drank pitchers of cocktails while the defendant was drinking very slowly because the hostel in Bristol he was staying in required him to be sober.

He was well aware of the state she was in, prosecutor Mr Welling added. A video was played to the court where the victim was propped up by her friends.

It must have been obvious to you that she was incapable of giving informed consent, Judge Taylor said.

Reynolds was arrested after he threatened to return to Swindon, telling the victim he would come to your yard and blow your house up which left her terrified. The pair had been taunting each other on social media after the incident.

At the police station it became obvious that Reynolds was telling conflicting lies, Judge Taylor said. At first, Reynolds denied doing anything sexual because it was obvious how drunk she was.

In the interview, he told police: I know what right and wrong is, she was falling everywhere and you know when a womans drunk, you dont take advantage.

However, the defendant changed his story when police requested a sample, admitting he had had sex with the victim but claimed she was a willing participant.

The defendants defence counsel Emma Handslip argued that Reynolds has a learning disability which affects his ability to read social cues.

While Judge Taylor conceded Reynolds learning disability may have played a part in his assessment of the night, he confirmed that the reduction in culpability could only be moderate.

When you were spoken to by police, you were fully aware of what you should and shouldnt do when a woman is drunk.

You prioritised your sexual gratification over her welfare.

You were indeed acutely aware of the licence and hostel conditions yet the fact you were unable and or unwilling to control yourself is something I simply cannot ignore.

Reynolds, of Ashley House Probation Hostel in Bristol, was sentenced to six years imprisonment.

He will then be on licence for two years after his release.