Jamie Plews 30

Description

A County Durham dad has been put behind bars for carrying out the late night rape of a woman in Gateshead.

Jamie Plews carried out the serious offence against a woman and left her with confidence issues and battling night-terrors. Following the rape, a court heard Plews went on to attempt suicide after taking an overdose of tablets and was arrested after concerned members of the public saw him in the area of a viaduct.

Plews, of Crook, County Durham, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court to be sentenced for rape. He had pleaded guilty to the offence.

The court heard that the victim was raped by Plews late at night. Prosecutor, Daniel Penman, said that the woman "pushed" Plews away and told him to stop, but he "ignored her request" and continued. Mr Penman said the terrified woman had a "panic attack" as Plews left the scene.

Days later, concerned members of the public contacted police after Plews was seen at a viaduct. When police arrived, he told them he was there to "chill" rather than commit suicide but admitted carrying out a rape. He was then arrested and placed in a van where he became ill and informed officers he'd taken an overdose of paracetamol.

In a victim statement, the woman said she had "lost all confidence" and frequently suffers from night-terrors and panic attacks following the rape.

Sue Hirst, defending, said Plews, 29, had no previous convictions and is "genuinely devastated by what he's done and the hurt he's caused". She said Plews is a "devoted father" who said his intention was to take his own life when he travelled to the viaduct after taking a "significant quantity of tablets".

Ms Hirst added Plews made a "terrible mistake that he deeply regrets" and was someone who was a "hard working individual" with a strong work ethic.

Sentencing Plews, Recorder David Gordon said he had "expressed genuine remorse" and jailed him for three years and nine months. He will be on the sex offender's register indefinitely and an indefinite restraining order was also imposed.