A sleeping woman awoke to find a drunken former Army private trying to rape her while she lay in bed.
Matthew Pill, 25, of Eccleston Drive, Runcorn, appeared in the dock for sentence at Chester Crown Court sitting at magistrates' court on Friday. Pill had initially denied the offence and pleaded not guilty to the charge of attempted rape, but changed his plea shortly before his trial was due to start in March this year.
Matthew Dunford, prosecuting, said the young woman was in bed when the attack occurred. She awoke to "feel someone was in bed behind her" who held her "tight" by the arm and she felt her "underwear had been moved" and the man was trying to "force" intercourse.
READ MORE: Murderer 'smeared himself in urine' after shotgun killing
Pill continued despite being told "please stop it, you're hurting me". The woman turned and saw Pill, who "kept forcing himself on her" as she tried to protect herself.
She would later tell police "she began screaming" before Pill fled. His victim, who now identifies as a survivor of assault, went to the police that day when the night had passed.
Pill was interviewed the following day, and told officers "he hadn’t done anything" but had taken a picture of her in case she "annoyed him" in future.
An image taken in "total darkness" at 2.14am was found on his phone, and at 2.32am he had sent a group message asking if anyone "knew anyone who sells Viagra".
Forensic analysis found Pill’s "DNA" on the woman’s underwear. Interviewed again, he said he had "no explanation" as to why.
After initially pleading not guilty to attempted rape, the matter was due to go to trial but Pill indicated his intent to plead guilty in February this year, before pleading guilty on March 6.
Pill had one previous conviction for drink-driving.
Mr Dunford read a harrowing personal statement from the woman, in which she described the impact of the "heartless and barbaric" attack, which had left her "frozen with fear and confusion" and unable to feel safe for months afterwards.
She said she was "vulnerable" at the time and believed Pill "waited for the perfect opportunity" to target her, adding the trauma had "ruined" part of her life, led to an invasive and painful medical examination, "traumatic dreams" and jumping awake in "complete fear and hot sweats from night terrors".
The woman feared Pill would know "bigger and stronger men" due to his past career and who would "track" her down.
She said "reaching out to other survivors" had helped to process aspects of her ordeal and understand her coping mechanisms.
Describing the aftermath, she said: "When I was finally able to wash, I sat on the floor of the shower and cried into my knees after profusely scrubbing at my skin until it burned.
"I cried with utter disgust and rage for my body and the man who had taken advantage of it."
Sarah Forshaw, KC, defending, said Pill was a "young man" who felt a sense of "disgrace" for what "he’s brought his family, and shame for his appalling behaviour", which she branded "absolutely uncharacteristic".
She said Pill had pleaded guilty, sparing his victim having to be cross-examined at trial.
Ms Forshaw said the case was a "tragedy for the complainant first and foremost but I hope you will agree it’s a tragedy all round" due to his "stupid, drunken behaviour" and "mistake".
Although she accepted alcohol was an "aggravating feature", she said Pill was too drunk for the intended act, and she contrasted it against sex attacks involving "violence" as she urged the judge Recorder Steven Everett to sentence with a "sense of proportion".
Ms Forshaw cited references from Pill’s mother, women who had known Pill romantically, and his former captain in the Army, where Pill served as a private for six years, describing him as "indispensable, hard-working, well mannered and well-liked".
His mother described him as "so sensitive, more sensitive than people knew".
Ms Forshaw said Pill has been treated for "anxiety and depression following the making of this allegation", and is a "shell of the young man" he was.
She referred to case law and sentences from similar cases, but Recorder Everett said some of it predated the relevant, current guidelines, and when the barrister referred to the "delay" since the attack happened in Pill's early 20s, again the judge issued a rebuttal over its significance.
After the judge retired to consider what sentence to pass, Pill’s victim left the courtroom in tears and Pill could be seen to wipe at an eye with a tissue.
Following Recorder Everett’s return, he told Pill he would be "frank" and immediate prison was "inevitable".
He briefly recounted that Pill had "crept" into the room and "tried to rape" the victim, for which the judge sentenced Pill to four years and two months in prison, with life on the sex offenders register and subject to a restraining order until further notice.
The judge said Pill had denied the attempted rape when first arrested by police and continued to deny it despite being confronted with DNA evidence.
He accepted the defendant indicated his intention to plead guilty "some weeks before" the trial date, having previously "denied it and denied it and denied it".
Recorder Everett said he wouldn't hold the drink-driving conviction against Pill, and said his service record was "exemplary", showing "a different side to your character".
On the issue of a "delay", the judge told Pill: "If you had been man enough to admit the offence, there wouldn’t have been that delay, it’s as simple as that.
"The delay doesn’t assist you in this case, but the fact you pleaded guilty before the trial does assist you."
Describing the attack, he said: "You got drunk.
"I’m prepared to accept you had been drinking heavily, that’s not an excuse, that’s an aggravating feature, and at some stage you formed the totally unreasonable view that somehow (your victim) would want to have some sort of sexual contact.
"Even if you fell in the suspended sentence bracket, I’m quite satisfied that this was the sort of case it was inevitable that I should pass an immediate sentence of custody, if nothing else to deter you and others like you behaving in this drunk fashion and thinking you can treat somebody effectively like your chattel."
Receive our weekly Runcorn and Widnes newsletter and breaking news email alerts by signing up here.
READ NEXT:
Mum who stole £250,000 to spend on holidays and designer gear told to pay money back
Senior police officer felt 'sick to stomach' waiting for Thomas Cashman verdict
Gogglebox star Sid Siddiqui supported as he 'doesn't feel safe'
Passengers hurt after BMW crashes into Stagecoach bus
I'm A Celebrity bosses refuse to work with camp after rule break
