CURTIS MARTELLY

LOWESTOFT MAN JAILED FOR FIVE YEARS FOR RAPE

A RAPIST who attacked a young woman as she slept has been jailed for five years and put on the sex offenders' register for life.

Curtis Martelly, of Spashett Road, Lowestoft, received the prison term at Ipswich Crown Court after he was convicted at an earlier trial.

Following the 24-year-old's sentence police praised the victim's 'tremendous courage' in coming forward after the attack, which happened last year.

Detective Inspector Darrell Skuse said; 'Police were contacted in the early hours of September 8 by a relative of the woman who had awoken to find Martelly forcing himself on her.

Officers arrested him a short time later, but he denied any sexual contact with her.

However his account was disproved through the victim's account and forensic evidence.

The victim has shown tremendous courage throughout the case, and she has been supported by specially-trained officers who carried out the investigation as part of Operation Gemini, which aims to get justice for the victims of such crimes.' Martelly had originally pleaded not guilty to attacking the woman, who is in her 20s, but was convicted by a majority 11-1 verdict.

In addition to being sentenced to five years imprisonment for rape, Martelly received a three-month concurrent sentence for failing to answer bail.

He was also ordered to sign on the sex offenders register for life.