Sean Murphy 52

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A man raped a woman in her own home after travelling to Wales to meet her. Sean Murphy then assaulted his victim a number of times including by banging her head against the wall.

Swansea Crown Court heard an impact statement from the victim of the sexual violence in which she said the experience had left her feeling "broken" inside. The 52-year-old defendant has been jailed for seven and a half years and will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life. Police have praised the bravery of the victim and said without her coming forward "a very dangerous man would still be on the streets".

The court heard the rape happened in May last year in Swansea. Murphy sexually assaulted and raped the woman in the bedroom of the property then subjected her to a number of physical assaults in different rooms. The offending was subsequently reported to police and Murphy admitted the physical assaults but denied the sexual offending. He was convicted at trial in October this year.

In a victim impact statement read to the court by prosecutor Alycia Carpanini, the complainant said she was trying to be strong for the sake of her daughter but inside she was "broken". She said the pain and damage of what Murphy did would live with her for the rest of her life. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter here.

Sean Murphy, of Stanbrook Road, Burford, Shropshire, had previously been convicted at trial of sexual assault and rape when he returned to the dock for sentencing. He had also previously pleaded guilty to three counts of battery. Megan Fletcher-Smith, for Murphy, said the defendant maintains his innocence and was "devastated" by the verdicts of the jury. She said seven personal references submitted to the court – including two from former partners of Murphy – speak of him "in the most glowing of terms" and said those who wrote the references are finding it very difficult to reconcile the man they know with the offences he has been convicted of. The barrister said her client's family had attended court during the trial but Murphy had not wanted them present for his sentencing such was his shame.

Judge Catherine Richards said it was clear that on the night in question Murphy had been "determined to have sexual intercourse" with his victim despite her protestations. She said following the sexual assault and rape the defendant had then subjected the woman to a series of assaults and that Murphy was fortunate that the decision had been taken to charge him with assaults by beating and not assaults occasioning actual bodily harm.

Murphy was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison. He will serve two-thirds of that sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. Murphy will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Speaking after the sentencing South Wales Police detective inspector Sharon Gill-Lewis said: "Sean Murphy’s offending was despicable and he has rightly been sentenced to a lengthy jail term. I would like to pay tribute to the bravery of the victim in coming forward without whom a very dangerous man would still be on the streets."