Leeds Rapist Sentenced to Life for Home Invasion and Assault

Daniel Plain, aged 29, was convicted of breaking into a 68-year-old woman's home in Leeds while she was sleeping and carrying out a raping attack. He threatened her by saying, "Right, just do as I'm telling you to do. I could kill you. I've got a knife on me and I won't hurt you if you do exactly what I'm telling you to do," before assaulting her during a 31-minute ordeal. The victim described feeling haunted by the event, saying, "One question I will never get the answer to is why me?" and recalling that she wakes up in the night seeing Plain in her bedroom doorway, dressed in a grey tracksuit with the hood up. His attack was only interrupted when her granddaughter arrived and disturbed him, causing Plain to flee. It was revealed that Plain had previously plotted the attack after carrying out work at the victim's house weeks earlier and had also told a taxi driver he was going to meet an old friend for a night of sex. The court heard Plain had previous convictions for aggravated burglary, burglary, and attempted burglary, and this was his third offense involving breaking into and violence towards elderly people. He was on license at the time. Plain pleaded guilty to the charge of rape, with the court sentencing him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 10 years, emphasizing that he presented a real danger to women. The judge stated that Plain's attack was "pitiless and life-scarring," and he will only be released if considered no longer dangerous. The victim and her family expressed their devastation and trauma caused by his actions. Leeds Crown Court saw Plain's guilty plea at the start of the trial, and mitigating reasons included his mental health issues and substance abuse problems.