VICTIM BLAMING RAPIST JAILED FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS FOR HOUSE PARTY ATTACK
A court heard that a man accused of sexual assault attempted to blame his victim after scientific evidence linked him to the crime.Jorden Gregerson was responsible for assaulting a woman who was sleeping on a sofa following an informal gathering at a residence in Consett in the early hours of December 21, 2021.
Durham Crown Court was informed that Gregerson told the woman, “It is going to happen,” despite her pleading for him to stop.
Right after the assault, Gregerson moved to the corner of the room and appeared to pass out, possibly due to intoxication.
This enabled the victim to quietly leave the house, call police, and hide in a bush until officers arrived at Richardson Way.
He was arrested at the scene, and during subsequent police interviews, he claimed he had gone to let out the dog and then sat on the sofa where the complainant was sleeping.
Gregerson believed he must have fallen asleep and only woke up at around 2 am to find the woman gone.
Prosecutor Richard Herrmann stated that when forensic evidence was presented linking him to the crime, Gregerson dismissed the allegations, suggesting the victim had fabricated the story and had attempted to have sex with him while he was asleep.
He stuck to this version of events until the trial was set to commence in July.
It was only then that the 25-year-old, of Langdale Close, Consett, changed his plea to guilty.
During the sentencing hearing on September 21, the victim delivered a heartfelt impact statement, describing the trauma and lasting effects of the incident.
She expressed feelings of shock, fear, loneliness, and how her social life was affected, as well as her ongoing grief for the person she once was.
Alaric Walmsley, representing Gregerson, told the court that the incident was out of character and had greatly affected his client’s life.
Judge James Adkin noted that the assault had significantly impacted the victim, leading her to withdraw from a course she was enrolled in.
The judge criticized Gregerson for initially trying to shift blame onto the victim, only adopting this stance near the trial's start when evidence was overwhelming.
Gregerson was sentenced to four years and 11 months in prison.
Additionally, he will be subject to a 20-year restraining order concerning the victim and must register as a sex offender for life.
Following the hearing, Detective Constable Liam Padget of Stanley CID commented on the case, highlighting the victim’s bravery and the importance of forensic evidence in securing the conviction.
He reassured the public that Durham Constabulary remains committed to thoroughly investigating sexual assault reports.
