Man jailed after wife of 10 years discovered he had been raping her in her sleep

The man handed himself into the police when his wife confronted him

Newcastle Crown Court (Alan Heardman/Creative Commons)

A man has been jailed for nine years after his wife of 10 years found videos on his phone showing him raping her as she slept.

The man, who is in his 30s, repeatedly filmed himself carrying out sex attacks on his wife who was asleep in their bed.

Newcastle Crown court heard that the couple, who have children together, had been together for more than 10 years when the abuse began in September 2016.

The man’s wife discovered the videos after her husband left his mobile phone at home when he went to work.

The court heard that the woman contacted her husband after she found the videos saved in a smartphone application and said: “I’ve just watched videos of you raping me on your phone.”

The man did not come home, and handed himself in to the police.

At the police station he told officers: “I have had sex with my wife. She didn’t consent. She found out and saw videos on my phone.”

In a statement, the victim said: “In March 2017, I discovered my husband had been sexually abusing me.

“Since that day, my life and that of our children has been completely turned upside down in ways I still cannot come to terms with.

“I never thought he would be capable of doing what he did.

“He has completely fooled me. I never want to see him again.”

Prosecutor Mark Giuliani, said: “On March 14 this year, the defendant left for work. As he forgot to take his mobile phone with him, the complainant took the opportunity to look at the phone and noticed something called Video Locker.

“Initially, she couldn't get access to it, which caused her to become suspicious.”

Eventually she managed to access the application.

Mr Giuliani added: “It showed video recordings of the defendant participating in sexual activity with his wife while she was asleep.

“The recordings have subsequently been destroyed.”

Sentencing the man to nine years in prison, and ordering him to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life, Mr Recorder Baird said: “Between September 2016 and March this year, you raped and sexually abused her while she was incapable of giving consent to your actions.

“I take the view you took advantage of the fact that she was in drink and a heavy sleeper.

“You did so for your own sexual gratification and treated her as an object for your fantasies, disregarding her wishes or needs.”