North Shields man raped sleeping woman after giving her alcohol and tablets

NCJMedia Syndication
The 37-year-old of North Tyneside is said to have acted like nothing had happened the following day, and asked the woman for her number. Credit: NCJMEDIA SYNDICATION

A man who raped a sleeping woman after giving her alcohol and tablets bought on the streets has been jailed.Bruce Patterson was watching TV with the victim when he gave her alcohol and a tablets he had bought on the streets.

When the woman fell asleep, Patterson went on to rape her and interfere with her for over an hour.

The following day, the 37-year-old of North Tyneside acted like nothing had happened, and asked the woman for her number.

The victim said she was left feeling "minging" after the incident, which occurred in the Whitley Bay area in 2022, and continues to struggle with what happened.

Patterson of West Percy Street, North Shields appeared in court on Tuesday 5 September to be sentenced for rape.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Patterson and the woman were watching televisiontogether, with the woman sharing a duvet with him.

Judge Julie Clemitson said: "You gave her a tablet, these were street-boughttablets. She had had quite a lot of alcohol to drink and a strong painkiller on top of the alcohol.

"Over the next couple of hours you watched films and she fell asleep. It is clear she was soundly asleep but was aware of being lumped around."

The court also heard how the woman had "not fully awoken" when she was raped or when Patterson interfered with her. She is also said to have had no idea how long the incident lasted.

Judge Clemitson said that Patterson took "well over an hour" interfering with the woman, before he went for a cigarette.

The following day Patterson acted like "nothing had happened", but the victim's "hazy memory" brought back what had happened and she knew he raped her.

Patterson was jailed for nine years and will be on the sex offender's register for life.

Defending, David Callan, said Patterson had no other convictions relating to sexual offending and said he had been abused himself when young.

He added that Patterson has a learning difficulty and suffers from bipolar disorder, and is "institutionalised" in prison.

Callan continued: "He accepts the verdict but doesn't agree with it."

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