DENTON MAN JAILED FOR RAPE AND COERCIVE CONTROL
A man who raped two women - one as she slept - has been jailed.Luke Cartwright, 22, denied a string of offences, but was found guilty by a jury after trial.Both women 'courageously came forward' to report what he put them through and gave testimony in court, police said following a sentencing hearing on Thursday (September 5).In a victim impact statement considered by a judge, one said: "I know that I am not to blame, but I am still so frustrated with myself for letting him treat me like this.
I feel like I was so weak and there is real shame that I am still trying to work through."Cartwright, of Balmoral Drive, Denton, Tameside, was jailed at a sentencing hearing held at Bolton Crown Court for 15 years for seven offences, including rape and coercive control.He was initially arrested after reports that he abused and sexually assaulted a woman on multiple occasions.
A second woman then came forward.
Cartwright was said by police to be heavily intoxicated at the time, raped her on a mattress where she had been sleeping.She said in her statement to the court: "When I would finally get to sleep, I would be constantly woken up by what happened.
It was not a nightmare as such, but it was like I kept going back to that day.
It kept replaying in my head, like I was there again." "The main feeling I have is anger.
I am angry it happened.
I am angry with myself that I feel I didn't do enough to stop it.
I know I said no and I pushed him off, however, I was still trying to be nice because I was scared.
I sometimes blame myself for what happened to me, which also makes me feel angry."Detective Superintendent Jen Tattersall said the case demonstrated GMP's dedication to tackling abuse in all its forms.
She called Cartwright a 'dangerous offender'.She said it was 'really challenging' to secure charges and prosecutions, adding: "Unlike assault type injuries, it is really difficult to evidence.
Victims don't retain evidence with a view to then necessarily building that for a prosecution.
We do want to try and drive forward our response to controlling and coercive behaviour and this is a good example of that.
We are doing everything we can to get our messaging out to our officers, our frontline officers, also to get it to victims, so then they can recognise the signs of controlling and coercive behaviour, which is often the challenge."
