Man may face life sentence for 'drugging and raping' girlfriend over a decade

A man has been told he faces a possible life sentence after pleading guilty to 32 sexual offences against his girlfriend while she was allegedly drugged or asleep, including some attacks he recorded.

The defendant, aged in his 40s, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Tuesday where he admitted the offences which happened over more than a decade from January 2014 to September last year.

Ten of the offences, which include rape, sexual assault and assault by penetration, were committed “together with a person unknown”, the court heard.

The court did not hear how many other people were involved, but recordings of some of the offences were found on the defendant’s devices.

The defendant, who stood in the dock wearing a green T-shirt, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of rape, 14 counts of assault by penetration, and six counts of sexual assault.

Four of the rape counts involved “a person unknown”, as well as four of the assault by penetration counts, and two of the sexual assaults.

The man was visibly emotional throughout his arraignment and asked the judge partway through: “Can I just have one moment please?” before sitting with his head down in the dock in silence for a short time.

The court heard that the defence disputes the prosecution’s claim the victim was drugged during all of the offences.

Prosecutor Alexandra Felix KC told the court: “The prosecution maintains all of these offences were committed whilst the victim had been drugged and stupefied.

“That’s not accepted in its entirety.”

She said the issue is whether the victim was “asleep or had been drugged”.

Defence barrister Nathalie Carter told the court: “[The defendant] made it clear to me from the beginning he didn’t want to contest any matters.”

Ms Carter said there would not be a Newton hearing, which happens when the facts of a case are disputed between the prosecution and defence.

Judge David Herbert KC told the defendant, who is due to be sentenced on 18 September, that a “very substantial prison sentence is inevitable”.

The judge said he will need to consider “whether a life sentence is appropriate”.

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