Husband who claimed he was ‘sleepwalking’ jailed after raping spouse greater than 100 occasions
A 62-year-old man has been convicted of five rapes, three attempted rapes and sexual abuse against his wife in a horrifying case after jury at Cornwall Crown Court rejected his defence of sexsomnia
A man has been jailed for 20 years after a decade of raping his wife(Image: Alamy Stock Photo)
A 62-year-old man who insisted he was sleepwalking while repeatedly raping his wife has been sentenced to 20 years behind bars. The defendant, whose identity remains protected to safeguard his ex-wife’s anonymity, potentially suffered from sexsomnia – a disorder which triggers sexual conduct during sleep, the court heard.
However, jurors at Truro Crown Court dismissed this defence, finding him guilty on multiple charges of rape and attempted rape against his spouse of 18 years. The victim revealed how the recurring attacks left her feeling “scared and disgusted”.
She lived in terror he might murder her as he covered her mouth and nose while sexually assaulting her as she struggled to breathe – that something particularly aroused him, the court was told. She detailed how he raped and sexually violated her approximately once monthly across roughly a decade. Prosecutor Heather Hope informed jurors: “He repeatedly raped and sexually abused his wife during the course of their marriage.” She continued: “He has claimed that this happened without knowledge of what he was doing.”
Miss Hope explained his wife never consented to these acts and continuously confronted him about his behaviour, urging him to seek medical assistance. The prosecutor stated he would apologise to his wife and promise it wouldn’t recur – yet the abuse persisted repeatedly between 2006 and 2017. The defendant claimed he “would not accuse her of lying” but maintained he had no memory of such incidents occurring, reports the Mirror.
The victim revealed to the court their intimate relationship was “low key and conservative” but his conduct shifted after their first child was born. She subsequently opened up to a work colleague and her sister about the ongoing situation and maintained a diary containing coded entries about the abuse she had suffered.
She informed the court she had endured a decade of intimidation and mistreatment because he had warned she would “never see the kids again” if she departed. The pair had been wed for 18 years and the defendant described them as “very good friends resembling siblings”. He informed his barrister he could not “consciously remember” carrying out the sexual acts against his wife who awoke to discover him raping her or sexually assaulting her in their matrimonial bed.
He informed the jury he had no recollection of his wife raising concerns about his actions towards her and stated sexsomnia was only discussed with legal counsel. He confirmed speaking to his GP about sleepwalking but not about his wife’s allegations regarding his behaviour.
The defendant, who possessed shotguns, had informed the jury during his trial: “I would not accuse her of lying, I cannot recall. Family is everything to me.” The man denied having unnatural, violent sex with his wife, and stated: “I would definitely not do anything like that.” The defendant, who has no prior convictions, stated intimacy was not a significant aspect of their relationship.
A neurological specialist in sleep disorders confirmed violence and aggression was extremely uncommon in sexsomnia cases. The jury found him guilty of five counts of rape, three attempted rapes and one instance of sexual abuse spanning from 2006 to 2017. He has been sentenced to a cumulative term of 20 years in prison and was added to the Sex Offenders’ register for life.
If you have been affected by issues of domestic violence or coercive control you can call Refuge’s 24-Hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline for free. The number is 0808 2000 247.
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