Locations
Hendon Burn Avenue, Sunderland, Tyne And Wear, SR2
Description
A sex attacker who plied a woman with alcohol then raped her when she was unconscious has been jailed.
Ian Howdon waited until the victim was heavily intoxicated before taking advantage of her. When she came round during the degrading attack, she was horrified at what he was doing.
Howdon, just 19 at the time, denied any wrongdoing but was convicted by a jury of two counts of rape. Now the 21-year-old, of Hendon Burn Avenue, Sunderland, has been jailed for eight years and three months by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court.
Judge Robert Spragg told him: "You were plying her with alcohol that night, I'm satisfied you were trying to get her drunk. You fully intended to have sex with her that night.
"She became increasingly drunk, she describes herself as passed out drunk and a friend said she was nine out of ten drunk. You didn't care by this stage she was so drunk she couldn't possibly have consented.
"She had been sick and was essentially passed out when you raped her."
The court heard a camera outside the window of the room where the attack happened picked up an audio recording, which the judge said was "absolutely harrowing".
In addition, the court heard there was a recording of the 999 call made by the woman after she realised what was happening. Judge Spragg said: "The terror in her voice was awful to hear."
The court heard Howdon has never been in trouble before and handed in references, including one from a rugby club, about his ordinarily positive character. Gavin Doig, defending, said Howdon's behaviour in custody has been exemplary" and he has been praised by prison officials after he assisted another inmate during a medical emergency. Mr Doig added that Howdon is still young and was "immature" at the time he committed the offence.