A cocaine-fuelled rapist, who broke into the home of a sleeping young mum and subjected her to a “nightmare” ordeal which resulted in her contracting a sexual infection, has been jailed.
A judge this afternoon (Friday) branded Romanian, Petrus-Ionut Apostoae, aged 25, dangerous and jailed him for 14 years eight months with an extended eight-year licence and was also handed an indefinite restraining order.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that the victim had been awoken about 2 am on October 2 last year after unknown to her Apostoae had broken into her home.
“The next thing she remembers is the stuff of nightmares because she suddenly awoke to hands over her face,” said Louise McCloskey, prosecuting.
She initially thought it might be her friend, who was unsure whether she would come back or not, “but quickly realised that it was an unknown male in her room with his hands over her mouth and nose.
“She pushed his hands away but he pushed harder and she was struggling to breathe. The defendant then released his hand from her nose but kept her mouth covered. She continued to struggle with him and then fell to the floor.”
He then pulled her onto the bed and she lay there terrified that her child and their friend, who was staying over, in the next room would wake up and come in.
He then realised she was no longer fighting and removed his hand from her mouth.
“She was telling him to leave repeatedly but he ignored her and instead began to remove his belt, undo his jeans.” He grabbed her hair and forced her to perform a sexual act.
He then pushed her legs up, pulled her shorts down and pushed her T-shirt and bra over her head before raping her. As a result she contracted a sexually transmitted disease.
“She recalls at this point accepting what was happening in order to ensure that neither child asleep in the room next door awoke.”
“The defendant then pulled his trousers up and put the quilt over her head and face before tucking her in. He asked her if she was alright, stroked her over the quilt and told her not to call the police.
“She noticed the defendant had a foreign accent, she promised not to call the police and told him the kids would be getting up shortly. She heard the front door close, located her mobile telephone and contacted the police.”
Miss McCloskey added that after her ordeal further security measures were installed at her Warrington home and six weeks later, at 5 am on November 12 she received a notification that a male had tried her front door handle before walking away. She sent this footage to the police and it was found that that male – Apostoae – had also tried to break into other nearby homes by trying door handles.
Investigations by police included house-to-house inquiries, questionnaires and DNA samples and the latter linked the defendant to the rape. He was arrested at his home in Gorsey Lane, Orford, Warrington on December 5 and answered no comment when interviewed..
She has need counselling and therapy and has not returned to her home. His return visit to her home had made her feel she was being targeted and she no longer goes out in the dark.
The woman also told how she is now far more emotional than before and is on medication for panic attacks.
Apostoae pleaded guilty to two rape offences, burglary, trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence and three attempted burglaries.
Paul Wood, defending, said that the defendant has no convictions in this country and nothing similar in Romania.
“He has a history of cocaine abuse. It appears cocaine has taken too great a part in this defendant’s life and he was under the influence when the offences were committed.”
Jailing the defendant, Judge Denis Watson, KC said, “Six weeks after you raped her in the course of the burglary you returned to her address and tried to enter her home again.
“The only sensible conclusion I can come to is that you returned intending to commit rape again.”
The court heard that the victim, who sat in the public gallery, told how she felt guilty that “she may be sending someone to prison for a long time.”
Judge Watson told her, “The circumstances are truly horrific and there is nothing any sentence can do to turn the clock back.
“It is always devastating to hear of a victim perhaps reflecting on their conduct and consequences of events but this individual is utterly blameless for everything to do with this case.”
Detective Inspector Nigel Parr, who led the investigation said: “This case shook the community of Warrington to its core but I hope that this sentence today shows justice has been served.
“At the hands of Apostoae, the victim was subjected to an utterly horrendous ordeal which she will now have to live with for the rest of her life and no sentence will be able to change that.
“But it is thanks to her courage and determination that we were able to gather the very best evidence to achieve this result today.
“The evidence gathered during this investigation, particularly the DNA sample, proved vital in Apostoae’s prosecution and left him with no option but to plead guilty to the charges against him.”
If you have been a victim of sexual abuse, or know of someone who has, please call us on 101 or visit https://www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/advice/rape-sexual-assault-and-other-sexual-offences/how-to-report-rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/.
Information can also be reported anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.
