A 29-YEAR-OLD man has been jailed for 15 years for raping and brutalising a young woman in a 20-hour terror ordeal at her Bradford home.
Ewan Lawrence had taken a cocktail of drink and drugs at a festival before beating his victim, pouring bleach on her clothes, attacking her handbag with a knife and sexually abusing her.
The woman fled the house, hysterical, bruised and begging for help, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.
Lawrence, who was living in Bradford before he was remanded in prison following a trial, had a history of domestic violence before committing the offences on August 28, 2014
He pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman, causing her actual bodily harm, and to three offences of damaging her personal possessions.
Lawrence was found guilty by the jury of two counts of rape and one of attempted rape.
His previous convictions included common assault, robbery and supplying Class A drugs.
He also committed offences of battery in 2009 and 2012, not connected with the woman, prosecutor David Bradshaw told the court.
Lawrence’s barrister, Sarah Barlow, said his problems with drugs were the root cause of what happened that night.
Although his probation officer labelled him “dangerous and controlling”, Miss Barlow said it was “a one-off incident”.
Lawrence had “snapped” after taking drink and drugs at a festival.
His family was very supportive and his mother had written a letter to the judge.
“Remove the drink and drugs and this defendant would not pose a risk to the people he is with,” Miss Barlow said.
The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC, said Lawrence beat up the woman, poured bleach on her clothing and ripped it up, cut her handbag with a knife and damaged her phone.
He detained her in the property from 5pm until 2pm the following day.
“You have brutalised her, attacked her physically, damaged her property and sexually assaulted her,” he said.
Lawrence had pleaded not guilty to everything until the case came to trial. He then had little choice but to admit the physical assault and criminal damage charges but denied the rape
offences and was found guilty by the jury.
Judge Thomas said Lawrence was “a troubling and worrying character” and these were terrible offences.
“They involved prolonged detention, a sustained incident, threats of violence, damage and sexual offences,” he said.
He did not, however, class Lawrence as a dangerous offender and impose a sentence with an extended licence period.
Lawrence must sign on the sex offender register for life.