DRUMMER JAILED FOR RAPING SLEEPING WOMAN
A 26-year-old former drummer, Jake Matthews, convicted of sexually assaulting a sleeping woman, has been given a prison sentence.Originally from Glena Avenue in Knowle and once a member of the Bristol-based band Montroze, Matthews denied the allegations when they were first made.
Nonetheless, following a jury trial at Bristol Crown Court, he was found guilty of rape.
On May 12, 2022, Matthews appeared before the court for sentencing and received a term of six and a half years in prison.
Judge David Evans highlighted that Matthews exploited a woman who was asleep and unaware of his misconduct.
He also ordered Matthews to register his whereabouts with the police for life and prohibited him from working with children or vulnerable adults.
The prosecution stressed the emotional toll on the victim, who hoped Matthews would accept his fault and be accountable.
Her statement included: “I want him to realize that what he has done is wrong and take some responsibility for what he has done.
I want him to change as a person and not do that to anyone ever again.” Defense attorney Michael Haynes argued that Matthews was still young at the time and that imprisonment would greatly impact his future and those close to him, especially given his knowledge of his terminally ill father.
The case attracted media attention, noting Matthews’ prior success in the music scene across the South West before the incident and the disbandment of Montroze five years earlier.
