Locations
Bexhill Road, Ingol, Preston, Lancashire, PR2
Description
A rapist who attacked a woman as her child slept in the next room has been handed a nine year sentence.
Matthew Nicholson, 36, ignored the woman's refusal to have sex when she repeatedly told him she did not want to. During the attack, the woman said she froze as Nicholson carried on after she told him to stop.
Sentencing, The Honorary Recorder of Preston, Judge Robert Altham, said Nicholson was a dangerous man and handed him an extended sentence of six years custody and three years on licence.
He said: "You knew her child was in the next room. Your victim knew she couldn't fight or cry out and you knew that. It is clear you exploited that situation to get what it was you wanted.
"You knew you had been raping her as you raped her and as she lay there with you next to her, crying. The next day she challenged you by message. In effect you admitted you had raped her by message and voice note, repeatedly apologising and telling her you should have listened to her when she said no.
"With that background it is surprising you ran a trial."
Judge Altham said: "You do pose a serious risk of causing harm to other (women) by the commission of further specified offences. That risk can only be managed by the oversight of your release by the Parole Board and an extended licence period.
"It is a most seriously aggravating feature that you did this knowing her child was only a wall's width away."
Nicholson has been ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely and been made the subject of a 12 year restraining order to protect his victim.