EDGELEY MAN MATTHEW CLARE SENTENCED FOR RAPE IN GREATER MANCHESTER

In March 2021, a disturbing case unfolded involving a 33-year-old chef named Matthew Clare from Edgeley, near Stockport in Greater Manchester. Clare was convicted of raping a close friend while she was in a coma and later sent her multiple texts confessing his wrongdoing, leading to his imprisonment for seven years.

According to court proceedings, the incident took place in September 2017 at the victim’s residence. Clare had been visiting her that evening, and the two had been drinking together. As the night progressed, the woman eventually fell asleep on her sofa. It was during this time that Clare committed the assault. The court heard that after she awoke, she discovered she was naked from the waist down and realized that she had been sexually assaulted while she was unconscious.

The victim was initially unaware of what had happened until she woke up and found herself in this distressing state. When she contacted Clare to seek an explanation, he responded with a series of apologetic messages, admitting that he was 'proper out of order' and expressing remorse, saying, 'Proper out of order, am really sorry, can’t help but mess up, sorry.'

The woman’s reply was firm and angry, stating, 'You have no remorse at all. You raped me the other night and have the cheek to ring me. Please do not contact me.' Clare responded with a repeated apology, saying, 'How many times can I say sorry, I do have remorse.' The exchange grew more emotional, with the victim asserting her rights over her body and condemning Clare’s actions: 'You really think saying sorry is good enough after what you did Saturday. This is my body and I should be able to choose who can touch me sexually or not. Messed up? that’s you. Who on earth has sex with a comatose person, your head is f..ked up, not mine.'

Following this distressing incident, the victim contacted the police, which led to Clare’s arrest. During the trial at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, the court heard detailed accounts of the assault and the subsequent investigation. Prosecutor Benjamin Lawrence explained that Clare initially denied any wrongdoing, including having sex with the woman or sending the texts, but later admitted to the assault.

The court was also informed that the victim did not report the incident immediately. She later appeared at work looking pale and exhausted, and upon being questioned by her employer, she broke down and disclosed what had happened. Her emotional testimony highlighted the profound impact the assault had on her mental health and personal life.

In her police statement, the victim expressed her feelings of guilt and anxiety, which she struggled to overcome. She stated, 'This has caused me sleepless nights and problems between myself and my partner in becoming intimate. At first I was anxious about proceeding and I felt a lot of guilt in the beginning but I have come to realise I was the victim and he had done this to me, and that it should be him not me who feels guilty about what he did to me.' She also described the long process of her case, which was initially scheduled for trial in March 2020 but was delayed nearly a year, prolonging her distress.

Judge Mr Recorder Tom Gilbart sentenced Clare to seven years in prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender for life. In his remarks, the judge condemned Clare’s actions, stating, 'You felt entitled to take advantage of your victim when she was asleep in her own home. What you did demeaned her and reduced her to tears and shaking in front of her boss. You should feel disgusted and utterly ashamed that you could do this to anyone. This was an awful offence.' The court’s verdict underscores the severity of Clare’s crime and the lasting impact on the victim’s life.