Paul Cook, who has a fetish for ‘sleep sex’, has been jailed for six years after he raped a woman while she slept
A rapist with a fetish for ‘sleep sex’ wept in court as his victim spoke of the devastating impact his attack had had on her life.
Paul Cook broke down down as his victim told him from the witness box at Teesside Crown Court that initially she had felt it had been her fault.
Judge Peter Armstrong jailed the 35-year-old for six years after hearing he has a fetish for so-called ‘sleep sex’.
The judge described it as ‘a perverted interest’ after hearing it had happened before with another woman.
Prosecutor Caroline Wigin told the court that Cook told the woman it was her fault because she ‘looked so sexy asleep’.
The victim made the decision to read her victim personal statement to the court in person.
She said she felt worthless, used and manipulated by a man who said it was ‘no big deal’, and has needed counselling.
She said: ‘I will never trust anyone again. I was scared that I wouldn’t be believed.’
Cook admitted he took advantage of the woman to satisfy a ‘deviant’ interest, which he had convinced himself was normal.
The court heard how he later walked into a police station to confess what he had done before a complaint was made.
His barrister, Stephen Grattage, said Cook now appreciated his ‘outrageous’ behaviour was rape and caused emotional distress.
Teesside Crown Court heard Cook told the woman it was her fault because she ‘looked so sexy asleep’
Mr Grattage said Cook showed remorse and was ‘devastated’ by his actions, and added that he had ‘normalised’ his behaviour.
Cook, of Lingdale, North Yorkshire, admitted five charges of rape.
Judge Armstrong said he did not accept a suggestion by a probation officer that Cook’s behaviour seemed to be ‘naive’.
He told Cook: ‘You developed a sexual fetish in what you called sleep sex… a perverted interest as I’m going to call it.
‘Completely contrary to her wishes and consent, you took advantage of a situation.
‘Your fetish kicked in and you had sex with her when she was asleep.’
Judge Armstrong handed Lingdale a sexual harm prevention order requiring him to tell future sexual partners of his rape conviction.
He was also given a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim in this case, referring to her on social media or approaching her home, and will be on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.