rapist plied teenage girl with drugs

RAPIST PLIED TEENAGE GIRL WITH DRUGS

A man convicted of a brutal sexual assault on a teenage girl has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Anthony Toward, 37, of Blakelaw in Newcastle, was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting a young girl after the court heard he had drugged her with both alcohol and substances before the attack.

The victim told the court she harboured feelings of 'hatred and disgust' towards Toward and stated she would never forgive him.

Judge Julie Clemitson highlighted her extraordinary bravery, saying that the emotional toll of the crime was likely to affect her for the rest of her life.

Toward denied the allegations, but the jury convicted him of the crimes.

The girl explained that her daily life had been affected by nightmares and flashbacks, and she had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, leading to ongoing anxiety and panic.

She described her life as being 'destroyed' by the abuse, reaffirming her inability to forgive Toward.

The judge noted that although Toward insisted on his innocence, the jurors had been convinced of his guilt in committing these 'heinous offences.' It was also revealed that Toward supplied the girl with cocaine and cannabis along with alcohol to aid his offending.

The judge commended her for her extraordinary bravery in delivering her victim impact statement in court, emphasizing the enduring impact of his actions that she might carry with her forever.