CAR RENTAL WORKER JAILED FOR RAPE
A 34-year-old man from Stroud has been sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of raping a woman following a period of heavy drinking.Aaron Goodfield, who works for a car rental company and resides on Devereaux Crescent in Ebley, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court on Monday, April 8.
The judge stated that he should use his time in custody to reflect on the suffering and emotional harm he caused his victim.
Goodfield had denied two counts of rape occurring between June and August 2020.
Following a week-long trial last month, a jury acquitted him of one charge but found him guilty of the other.
He returned to court to be sentenced by Judge Ian Lawrie KC, who told him: "You are still in denial regarding your actions.
In prison you will have time to reflect on the harm you caused her.
"An aggravating feature is the amount of alcohol you had consumed which, I have little doubt, led to the commission of this offence.
"You are a man of previous good character who was in full time employment and this will be your first taste of custody which will be deeply unpleasant for you." Jailing Goodfield for four years the judge told him he will have to serve two-thirds of the sentence before he is eligible for parole.
He placed Goodfield on the sex offender register for life and ordered him to pay a victim impact surcharge of £190.
At the start of today's hearing prosecutor David Scutt read a victim impact statement from the woman in which she told Goodfield: "You have shown no remorse or understanding for how you have hurt me.
"At court the questions I was asked were embarrassing and I didn't feel comfortable with some of them.
"You could have saved me from all that by taking responsibility for what you did.
"I am relieved that it is now over and I have been believed.
I hope you get some support and change for the better.
" Kevin Seal, defending, told the court that a probation officer's assessment of Goodfield was that he poses a low risk of further offending.
"My client does not seek to go behind the verdict of the jury, which he has to accept, but it is still early for him to take stock of his life and actions and consider the consequences," he added.
