Matthew Edwards 42

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A man sneaked into a woman's house in the dead of night and raped her in her bed, a court has heard. The victim said her attacker seemed to "believe he was entitled to my body" and she said her home now feels like a "crime scene".

Ian Wright, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court the rape occurred in June last year after the victim had gone to bed at around 11pm. After listening to the radio for a while the woman fell asleep only to wake some time later to find Edwards in her room. The court heard the woman, who is in her 60s, "froze in terror" as the intruder got into bed beside her. The 42-year-old defendant then raped the woman, telling her: "I am going to shoot my load".

The court heard the victim subsequently confided in a friend about what had happened and the matter was reported to police. When arrested the defendant said he had "nothing to worry about" as the sex had been consensual and in his interview he again claimed the woman had consented.

In a statement read to the court the victim described the huge psychological impact of the offence. She said Edwards "believed he was entitled to my body" and the attack had triggered her post-traumatic stress disorder and left her worried that any male she sees could be a rapist. The woman said she struggles to sleep and sees her attacker's face whenever she goes to bed and she said her house is now a "crime scene" and "will never feel homely again".

Matthew Edwards, of Penrallt Street, Machynlleth, Powys, had previously pleaded guilty to rape when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has convictions from Gwynedd Magistrates' Court for harassment in 2004 and for common assault – kicking and spitting in the face of an ex-partner – in 2005 and convictions for battery from Montgomery Magistrates' Court in 2011. In 2023 he was convicted of stalking at Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion Magistrates' Court.

Ian Ibrahim, for Edwards, said the defendant "deeply regrets" what he did. He said his client had worked in a variety of jobs over the years including gardening, construction, and factory work and he said the custodial sentence he was now facing would be by far the longest he has served. The barrister said Edwards lives in a small community where everybody knows each other and his conviction has resulted in an "astronomical" social fall.

Judge Geraint Walters said it was clear from the defendant's antecedent record that he had "something of an obsessional personality". He said he had read a letter the defendant had written to the court and he accepted his remorse was genuine. With a 10% discount for his guilty plea Edwards was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison. He will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.