Stephen Clavering 49

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A violent bully "launched a vicious sexual attack" on a terrified naked woman and pinned her down in her own bed after he "invaded her home" while she was sleeping.

Angry and fired-up Stephen Clavering was in a "highly sexualised state of mind" and had been watching pornography before he entered her home and brutally attacked her at a time when she "simply didn't stand a chance" against him. She could not breathe and told him to get off her before she eventually managed to put some clothes on and flee barefoot to a neighbour's home to raise the alarm, Hull Crown Court heard.

Clavering, 47, of Kingsbury Way, Hull, denied sexually assaulting the woman and assaulting her, causing actual actual bodily harm, in April 2020, as well as trespass with intent to commit a sexual assault and sending offensive messages to her, but he was convicted by a jury on May 2 after a trial. He admitted assaulting a female police officer.

Jeremy Evans, prosecuting, said Clavering sent a barrage of highly intimidating, menacing and threatening voice messages to the woman. He was in a "highly sexualised state of mind" when he went on his bicycle to her home.

"He walked into the house through the unlocked front door," said Mr Evans. Clavering took his underwear off and pulled back the bed covers before forcing himself on her."

"She was terrified," said Mr Evans. "She had ear plugs in and she couldn't make out what he was saying." He added: "She simply didn't stand a chance. He was on top of her."

Clavering pinned her down, but his victim struggled and told him to get off her. He put his hand over her mouth and she was struggling to breathe.

Mr Evans said: "She recalled the defendant telling her not to scream. He released her with the promise that she wouldn't scream. She took the opportunity to reach for her mobile telephone.

There was a tussle over the phone, said Mr Evans. "He used his superior strength and size to overpower her, assault her and pull her by her hair." He added: "She ended up in the living room with the defendant still clutching at her mobile. She realised that she needed to get away. She was able to put on some clothes but, barefoot, she had to run from her own home.

"She knocked on her nextdoor neighbour's window, raising the alarm as to what was going on in her own home. The defendant followed her outside."

Clavering threatened to hit the woman with a bicycle chain before cycling away. He later denied what had happened and tried to "lie and mislead his way" out of trouble, said Mr Evans.

The woman said in a statement: "I was still in shock during interview. Every time I looked in the mirror, I saw what he had done." She suffered flashbacks and was in constant fear that Clavering would come back. She was terrified and had a panic alarm installed, but said she was "refusing to let what he did have a negative impact" on her life.

Clavering had previous convictions, including wounding in May 1998, involving headbutting and stamping on the victim's head, causing a broken jaw. He also had convictions for assaulting police and criminal damage, but none for sexual offences.

Dale Brook, mitigating, said that Clavering still denied the offences. "My instructions are that he is innocent," said Mr Brook. The sexual part of the incident was very short-lived, he added.

Clavering's last conviction for assault was 18 years ago. "This is his first prison sentence since the 1990s," said Mr Brook. "He seems to have turned his life around." Clavering had built up a business through hard work, but it had failed because of the case and being remanded in custody since May 2 after being convicted by a jury.

Judge John Thackray QC said Clavering had sent the "most horrendous" messages to the woman and they were the "most disgusting and vile messages", before going to her home while she was asleep.

"You invaded her home while she was sleeping," said Judge Thackray. "She was entitled to feel safe and secure in her own home. You attended in her bedroom. You launched a vicious sexual attack upon her. You attacked her physically.

"She may never fully recover from the effects of your offending. Your offending has had a profound effect upon her."

The court heard that Clavering had been looking at pornographic websites before and after the incident. He was jailed for seven-and-a-half years and was given an indefinite restraining order. He must register as a sex offender for life.