MAN RAPED WOMAN HE HAD MET ON NIGHT OUT
A BRICKLAYER has been jailed for raping a woman he had met earlier that evening as they walked home following a night out, writes Suzy Gibson.
Nathaniel Gray’s attack, on New Walk in the city centre, was caught on CCTV and was played to the jury, who convicted him on a 11-1 majority verdict.
Gray denied rape, claiming she appeared willing to have sex, despite her saying no and screaming for help.
Gray, who had been captured on camera by the victim’s friend earlier in the evening, was traced the next day through an appeal on social media and via CCTV of a friend’s car that picked him up shortly afterwards.
A RAPIST who attacked a young woman he had met at a city centre bar has been jailed.
Nathaniel Gray denied rape, claiming the victim had appeared willing to have sex with him.
The harrowing incident in New Walk, in the city centre, in the early hours of Tuesday, August 20, 2019 was captured on CCTV - and watched by a jury of seven women and five men during Gray’s trial.
Gray, a 29-year-old bricklayer, was convicted at Leicester Crown Court of rape, on a majority 11 - 1 verdict.
Andrew Copeland, prosecuting, said the woman, in her early 20s, had met the defendant in the Revolution cocktail bar in New Walk, where they had consensually kissed and danced together.
Her female friend left in a taxi, but the victim decided to walk home and the defendant offered to accompany her.
However, as they crossed the car park of the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery, further up New Walk, he indecently exposed himself.
Giving evidence over a video link, the victim said that Gray, whom she had not previously met, then made sexual comments.
She was not interested in taking the situation further and was about to suggest going their separate ways when he pushed her over a low wall, pulled down her clothing and raped her.
She told the jury: “I kept telling him all the time to stop doing what he was doing.
“I was crying for help and I believe he should have understood that.
“I was definitely shouting, I was screaming at the top of my lungs.”
Gray, formerly of Victoria Road East, Leicester, claimed he did not think full sex had even happened despite her having intimate injuries.
He said she was flirting and mutually kissing him in New Walk and he denied behaving roughly towards her.
However, he said she suddenly fell over and then began shouting at him, so he left.
The victim sought help from a member of staff at a nearby hotel.
After a report was made, the police tracked Gray on CCTV by the registration number of his friend’s car, that picked him up afterwards, and via social media - from a photograph taken by someone earlier in the evening.
He was arrested the following day and claimed that any sexual activity was consensual.
Sally Hobson, mitigating before sentence, said: “It was a relatively brief meeting with this young lady and ended very badly.”
She said Gray was highly thought of by his family and others who “see a very different side to him as a brother, uncle and a good friend”.
His sisters had attended throughout the hearing to support him.
He was described as a hard working member of the community who had acted out of character.
Sentencing, Recorder Martin Butterworth said: “You raped her in a short but brutal way in the street. Firstly pushing her over a low wall and when she fell to the ground you persisted in your attack, despite the fact she was calling out and screaming loud enough for a man nearby to overhear.
“Her life will never be the same.” The recorder said he accepted references from a number of people demonstrated “other sides to your character”.
He said: “I acknowledge your difficult upbringing and I’m told your sisters will be devastated by your conviction.”
In a personal impact statement the victim described the trauma of being medically examined after the attack.
She still suffers from flashbacks and sleepless nights.
The incident has affected her relationships with family and friends and dented her self-esteem and trust in men.
Gray was jailed for five-and-ahalf years.
He will have to enlist on a sex offender register for life.
AFTER Gray was sentenced, the investigating officer, Detective Constable Richard Wilson, gave some details of how he had been caught.
“Fortunately the woman who was with the victim and Gray (earlier in the evening) took a photo of him,” said Det Con Wilson.
“Following a social media appeal we were able to locate her and obtain the image.
“That led officers to quickly identify Gray and arrest him.
“The past 18 months have not been easy for the victim, she has shown immense bravery throughout the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.
“We hope today’s verdict helps her come to terms with what happened and move on with her life. We would always encourage anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence to contact the police immediately.”