HULL SECURITY GUARD JAILED FOR RAPING SLEEPING WOMAN AT HOUSE PARTY
A security guard named Dean Prendegast has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison after being convicted of raping a woman while she was sleeping during a house party.The incident occurred when the victim woke up to find him naked and assaulting her after she had previously rejected him earlier that evening.
He told her, 'I know it’s wrong, but it feels so right.' Hull Crown Court heard that Prendegast had attempted to engage with her throughout the evening and was intoxicated, having consumed approximately 20 bottles of Stella and some Amaretto.
The victim explained that during the attack, she told him to stop while he was touching her, and he began having sex with her while she was asleep, which she stated she did not consent to.
She described her shock and distress, stating, 'I went to sleep and the next thing I remember he was on top of me.
He told me he knew it was wrong but it felt so right.
I told him to get off and he did.
I turned over, I didn’t know what to do.
I was in shock.
I never gave him permission to have sex with me.' The court also noted that Prendegast had sent an apology via text message two days after the incident.
The victim expressed ongoing distress, stating that the case's updates caused her to relive the trauma repeatedly and significantly affected her confidence and self-esteem.
Sentencing judge Mark Bury emphasized that the victim would likely remember the assault for the rest of her life and explained that had Prendegast admitted the offence earlier, a lighter sentence might have been possible.
Therefore, he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison, banned from contacting the victim for ten years through a restraining order, and will be registered as a sex offender for life.
Prendegast previously shared that he had nearly died of alcohol poisoning during a Christmas pub crawl in 2014.
This case highlights the serious repercussions for sexual assault offenders and the importance of justice for victims.
