Rape victim blamed for falling asleep on couch, Melbourne court hears
- Herald Sun
- October 08, 2010
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A MAN raped his housemate just three days after moving in with her, a court has heard.
The Melbourne man in his 30s, who cannot be named, had returned home on November 19 last year after a night out drinking when he saw the woman sleeping on the couch, the Herald Sun reports.
While she was sleeping he orally raped her, the County Court heard.
She woke and told him to stop, to which he replied, “It was bound to happen, you shouldn't have fallen asleep on the couch''.
“It was a complete lack of self-control, I just was not thinking,'' he told them.The next day he apologised and handed himself into police.
The teacher's aide moved in with the woman after responding to her ad for a housemate on website Melbourne Gumtree.
Days after moving in, he came home drunk and crawled through a window because he had forgotten his key.
He saw his flatmate sleeping on the couch and sexually assaulted her.
Giving evidence in court today, the man was deeply sorry for his actions and had written the woman a letter of apology.
The man testified that he repeatedly apologised to the victim and that he went to a police station to confess.
“I was feeling guilty and I had done something wrong. I thought in some small measure I'd alleviate some stress that I had caused,'' he said.
The man said he had a longstanding alcohol problem and would drink anywhere between a bottle of wine and six beers a night.
He said his judgment was affected by alcohol on the night of the assault.
“I'm very sorry for my reckless, foolish behaviour. I can only hope that the impact diminishes at some stage and I relate my sincere regret and apologies,'' he said.
Since the sex attack, the man told the court he had sought help for his problems with alcohol.
He said he had started alcohol counselling, reduced his drinking and sought treatment for depression and anxiety.
The court heard the man worked as a teacher's assistant at a special development school but his employment ceased after the incident.
He said he was studying to be a high school teacher but knew his prospects were now “seriously compromised''.
He pleaded guilty to one charge of rape today and will be sentenced at a later date.
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national/rape-victim-blamed-for-falling-asleep-on-couch-melbourne-court-hears/story-e6frfkvr-1225936088252#ixzz11rLVcQz5
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