Michael Burns 56

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A man who raped a stranger as she slept on his sofa after a party has been jailed for five years and nine months.

Michael Burns, 56, of South Shields, took the woman back to his flat to collect tobacco to take to a gathering they had both attended. Newcastle Crown Court heard she dozed off on the sofa and woke to find him raping her.

Prosecutor Emma Dowling said the woman did not know Burns but thought he seemed “ok” and had no concerns. She recalled him offering her a sealed can of Coke before she fell asleep.

“She believes she must have fallen asleep because the next thing she can remember is waking up and the defendant was having sex with her,” Miss Dowling said. “She shoved him off and managed to get out of the flat.”

Burns initially told police “she must have done something to him” after his DNA was found on her underwear. The 56-year-old, who has 44 previous offences including causing death by dangerous driving in 1994, later admitted rape.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said she lost her confidence, became paranoid and struggled to eat or sleep. She added it was something she would “never really get over”.

Judge Stephen Earl told Burns:

“Rape is a horrific offence, it is an offence which has consequences far beyond the actual act. You committed one of the most horrific offences you can commit against a woman as a man.”

The judge imposed lifelong sex offender registration and a restraining order.

Defence lawyer Claire Anderson said Burns is an alcoholic with mental and physical health problems and plans to move away after his release.

In a letter to the judge, Burns wrote he was “really, really sorry” and wanted to “sincerely apologise” to the victim.