Woman raped by her ex – simply months earlier than he raped his new girlfriend
WARNING DISTRESSING CONTENT: Brave Chelsea McPherson was sexually assaulted by her boyfriend when she was 18 and she has now waived her anonymity to speak out after he was sentenced
A sick sex attacker raped two girlfriends just months apart. Michael Brown, now 23, attacked Chelsea McPherson when she was just 18 in April 2021.
He took her to to a location near his parent’s house and forced her to smoke cannabis, which made her feel unwell, then led her down a fire escape to an abandoned mental container where he pushed her over, ripped her clothes off and attacked her.
After the abuse Chelsea felt trapped in the relationship as Brown threatened he would kill himself if she left him. And just months later, he raped his new girlfriend Rio Wagner at his parent’s house. Chelsea, now 22, has bravely waived her lifelong anonymity to speak out after Brown was being jailed for three years after pleading guilty to two counts of rape and told how he took her virginity in the assault.
She said: “We were sat on a fire escape and I remember he took my hand after he had pressured me into getting quite high. He led me down the fire escape to a metal container than he pushed me over and I was saying ‘I don’t want to, can you stop’ which he didn’t.
After being raped Chelsea remembers walking back to his parents house, going to the bathroom and seeing she was bleeding “quite a lot”. She said: “At some point I came home and took a very long shower. I was trying to feel clean and trying to get him off my skin.”
The relationship continued after that and lasted for a total of one month. She added: “He used to say things if ‘if you leave I’ll kill myself’. I felt if something happened to him I’d feel 100 per cent responsible.
“I stayed in the relationship purely out of fear. If there wasn’t any fear I would’ve left it. He ended the relationship. He said that he wanted to get clean from drugs he was using and get his life back.”
Brown was arrested and interviewed in relation of the two offences of rape which happened in 2021. In the police interview he said there had been consensual sex with one of the women, and that he had no recollection of the second incident.
Brown pleaded guilty the day before the other victim was due to provide evidence to the court in a video-recorded cross examination hearing on April 14 2025. Brown was jailed in May.
Chelsea said: “The severity of the crime I felt as though the sentence was for someone who shoplifted. I didn’t think it was appropriate for the crime. I was really angry.
“I remember walking into court and all I saw was his hair and that caused a panic attack and I had to leave the courtroom to calm down and once I calmed down I walked in.”
After the sentencing, Chelsea wanted to waive her anonymity as she felt she should not have to hide due to someone else’s actions.
She said: “I also felt like I had nothing to hide. If another victim was to read that it would give more comfort and know who was affected and who was the victim. Being anonymous didn’t sit right with me.
“I haven’t been in a relationship for four years. I did have a nice healthy relationship after Michael. But it would be difficult for me to get into another relationship. Massively made me lose my trust in men. I don’t even like my own dad getting too close to me.
“What has happened to me has destroyed my life, my family, my soul, my mental health. I began drinking heavily daily, staying out late, self-harming, trying to kill myself.
“I then thought I could go on with my life. I got a job, a car, starting attending college, socialising, hadn’t self-harmed or attempted suicide for just under a year, however after time the trauma of what you [Michael] did to me caught up to me.”
Rio was attacked by Brown in August 2021 when she was staying at his parent’s house for the first time. Brown asked his parents if they could stay for the night with the condition they would sleep in different rooms.
As Rio was struggling to fall asleep she came to Brown’s room to watch a movie together. Brown, who was 19 at the time, asked if they could have sex to which Rio consented, but began to feel uncomfortable.
She repeatedly begged for him to stop but Brown ignored her. While she was being raped she “froze” as she didn’t have the “strength to fight him off”.
Rio added: “I’m unable to sleep at night due to the nightmares, flashbacks and triggers, leaving me with the trauma. For a while I didn’t touch any men. If I did go out at night I would constantly look over my shoulders.”
If you or somebody you know has been affected by this story, contact Victim Support for free, confidential advice on 08 08 16 89 111 or visit their website, Home – Victim Support.
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email [email protected], visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
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