A man who raped his ex-girlfriend after tracking her down and ambushing her at her home with a knife has been convicted by the Grand Court.
The man had been charged with rape, assault causing actual bodily harm and threats to kill or cause serious harm – arising out of the events of 30 Aug. last year, a month after the couple broke up.
Acting Grand Court Justice Dale Palmer on 28 March delivered three guilty verdicts against the 42-year-old defendant, whose name cannot be released so as to protect the identity of the victim.
Giving evidence in the judge-alone trial in January, the woman told the court she had returned to her home on the evening of 30 Aug. and had been confronted by her ex. The court heard that the defendant accused the woman of cheating and proceeded to punch, kick and spit on her.
She said he had held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her before raping her and holding her against her will for three days before she was able to contact the police.
“He said if I screamed or said a word, he would cut my throat,” the woman said.
She said he forced her to give him the keys to her bedroom in the house she shared with other tenants, took her into the room and raped her.
She told officers she had been traumatised by the event, which she reported to police on 2 Sept.
During the trial, the defendant claimed the intercourse was consensual and denied assaulting her.
When returning the guilty verdicts, the judge told the defendant, “You have a twisted, warped and delusional sense of reality… The victim has all the hallmark signs of a sexual-assault survivor. I believe her evidence and I find her to be a credible and reliable witness.”
The man’s bail was revoked and a pre-sentencing hearing will be held in the coming months.
