GLOUCESTER RUGBY PLAYER SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS FOR RAPE
Gloucester man and rugby player Lemar Whitter was sentenced to five years in prison for the crime of raping a woman who had invited him to her new flat in Gloucester.The incident occurred after they bumped into each other while she was out clubbing in November 2014.
The woman, who knew Whitter for ten years and trusted him, invited him back to her residence, which was unfurnished except for a mattress on the floor.
During their time together, Whitter forcefully assaulted her while she was sitting on her mattress.
The prosecution detailed that she tried to push him away and told him she had a boyfriend, but he was too strong.
She struggled and tried to defend herself, including kicking him and crying throughout the incident.
After the assault, she punched him in the face, which caused him to stop, and he subsequently apologized repeatedly.
The woman was deeply affected by the ordeal, experiencing emotional distress, weight loss, and contact issues with her family.
The jury convicted Whitter of rape after a five-day trial, and the judge sentenced him to five years, emphasizing her victim impact statement and noting that he had stopped the attack before ejaculation, which prevented pregnancy.
The judge also ordered Whitter to sign the sex offender register for life.
Whitter's previous criminal record included a suspended sentence for assault related to drunken behavior.
His defense described him as polite and from a respectable family, expressing that he accepts the court's sentencing but not the jury's verdict.
