Philip Gaddis 24

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A sick predator has been jailed after jurors found him guilty of raping a woman

Philip Gaddis, 24, was found guilty following a trial at  Leeds Crown Court and earlier this month was jailed for six years. His victim was 20 when Gaddis, of Main Street, Glasgow, attacked her in the Mirfield area in 2019.

Following his conviction, the woman's sister - who must not be named for legal reasons - has spoken out and said he had admitted the offence in a message. She said the first trial resulted in a hung jury, but Gaddis was finally convicted this year.

The woman said: "She woke up to him having sex with her...She told me the day after it happened and I said, 'It's rape, we need to go to the police,' but she didn't want to talk about it or report it.'"

It was said the rape was eventually reported after Gaddis "admitted it over message a number of times in different circumstances," the woman said. She said: "He was charged and released on bail."

The court confirmed that Gaddis was also released on bail between the guilty verdict and his sentencing, something which the victim's sister said was "unjustifiable". She said his strict bail conditions included him not contacting her sister, but said the decision to release him on bail was still an "unjustifiable risk in my eyes".

She added: "He could have done anything else he wanted for three weeks. He went to a concert in that time...We were a bit worried he wouldn't turn up because he lived in Scotland but he did.

"She read her victim impact statement in court - it was one of the hardest things I have seen...When he was found guilty at the end of the trial he started crying. He was crying and said, 'I didn't do it.'"

The woman said she was "just relieved" when the verdict came in and said: "It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to see my sister and best friend go through. It has destroyed her in so many ways and I am just grateful it is over and it was recognised, what he did.

"I'm just happy he is going to be put away for years and it's going to protect other women and hopefully when he is in prison he gets the time to reflect and reform."