A NORTHWICH man has been jailed after he raped a woman as she slept in bed next to him.

Joseph Taylor, of Solvay Road, had originally denied four counts of rape and four sexual assaults against the woman, who was just 16 at the time the offences took place - he was 17 and 18.

A trial of the 25-year-old began at Chester Crown Court in June, but on the second day, Taylor was re-arraigned in the dock and pleaded guilty to two rapes and two sexual assaults.

He did so after his defence barrister was made aware about the existence of a voice recording in which Taylor admitted to the woman what he had done to her.

He was back in the dock at Chester Crown Court on Thursday, August 11, where he was sentenced by Judge Simon Berkson to six years and nine months in prison.

Simon Dunford, prosecuting, said: “She remembers waking up one morning feeling like she had had sex.

“Initially brushing it off she eventually asked him ‘are you doing things to me in my sleep?’.

“Despite denying he had done anything wrong, Taylor then wrote her a letter admitting what he had done.

“He then threatened to kill himself when she confronted him about it.”

It was a voice recording that eventually led to Taylor admitting the charges.

In that recording he told her he didn’t understand why she wanted him punished.

In a victim personal statement, the woman, who is now 23, said she had suffered from psychological and physical problems ever since.

“I feel I can’t trust a man fully anymore,” she said.

“I have been through a lot of stress and heartache.

“I am always anxious around people due to my low self-esteem.

“I feel like a wreck and that I can’t live a normal life.

“I am going to carry this trauma with me for the rest of my life.”

Gareth Roberts, defending, said his client was full of remorse and had been 'a boy' at the time (he was 17 and 18) who didn’t initially see what he had done wrong.

“This is a desperately sad case, particularly when you listen to the personal statement made by the victim,” he said.

“He is properly and profoundly devastated about what he did.

“Before he pleaded guilty, he knew what he had done, but this was a case of him being able to try and understand it.

“It is clear he had a difficult upbringing.”

Taylor had been diagnosed with PTSD, obsessive compulsive disorder and ADHD and received treatment in his teenage years Mr Roberts went on to say.

“His remorse is profound and heartfelt, and he is a different young man now,” he added.

Judge Berkson told Taylor he had allowed a fascination with watching pornography to creep into his own life.

“You did this in a cruel way,” he said.

“This was full penetrative sex while she slept.

“It is clear her upset will not go away, and it has had a marked effect on her life, both mentally and physically.

“It is also clear that you were a young man with your own problems.”

He sentenced him to serve a total of six years and nine months, with concurrent sentences being given to the other charge of rape and both counts of sexual assault.