A rapist has been jailed for eight years after police detectives proved his victim could not have consented to having sex because she had suffered a seizure.
Mark Anderson raped the woman in August last year at his home in Hackney, East London. The victim recalled being cold and feeling strange at the time – sensations she knew meant a seizure was coming on.
The victim said the incident had left her ‘scared to sleep and to be awake’ stressing that she was used by Anderson as a ‘piece of meat’.
Wood Green Crown Court heard how when the victim confronted Anderson, she said ‘You raped me’ to which he responded ‘Yeah good!’.
In other messages, Anderson told the victim: ‘I hope you have another fit and die’ and ‘I just want you to know you are an ugly ****, your body is horrible.’
Mark Anderson of Shafton Road, Hackney has been jailed for eight years
Mark Anderson sent the woman a series of messages. In one, he told the victim to have ‘another fit and die’
Police said the victim didn’t recall much from the attack on August 6 but was aware that Anderson was having sex with her, and of being unable to consent due to her body being frozen.
Due to the seizures, she lacked any sort of energy and it was only after speaking with a close family member that she had challenged him on it.
The victim reported the incident to the Metropolitan Police the same day and urgent enquiries began.
Detectives obtained the victim’s medical records and spoke with medical professionals, which proved that she had suffered a number of severe migraines which had on occasions led to a loss of consciousness.
Anderson claimed the victim had never been formally diagnosed with a medical condition, questioning the legitimacy of her claims.
However, determined detectives presented a number of text messages where Anderson had referenced her seizures and had been aware of separate medical episodes.
Police said this was fully corroborated with the victim’s GP who presented records proving the medical incidents as recurring.
Officers uncovered a series of malicious texts where the victim had been insulted, belittled and degraded by Anderson.
This was used to disprove his original assertions that he had behaved respectfully towards her.
In an impact statement, the victim said: ‘It’s hard to know where to start with how my life has been impacted.
The malicious texts where the victim had been insulted, belittled and degraded by Anderson
‘The nightmares are so realistic, reliving the moment – that moment I opened my eyes and he was on top of me. I’d wake up crying then start panicking.
‘Scared to sleep, scared to be awake. I have not only had my dignity stolen, my soul has been stolen, being used as a piece of meat to satisfy his sick sexual needs.
‘The fear has constantly got me to the point of feeling suicidal. Lack of sleep and constant fear and anxiety brings my seizures on, the very thing that enabled him.
‘The reality is, wherever I go, what happened to me is always there in my head. I am not the same person I once was. I can’t go out on my own as I am always looking over my shoulder.
‘I used to be so confident, fiery and full of life, now I am just an empty shell.’
SOIT officer Hayley Goss said: ‘ I am incredibly proud of the strength and courage the victim has shown throughout – her sheer determination to stand in the witness box and confront the man that had committed such a horrific crime against her. I am glad she has finally managed to get the justice she truly deserves.’
Detective Constable Daniel Neville who led the investigation said: ‘This man took advantage of the victim knowing full well that she was vulnerable and could not consent due to her medical condition.
‘Anderson claimed he had engaged in consensual sex, but the wealth of evidence we presented to the courts meant his lies were uncovered.’
DC Neville added: ‘I want to thank the victim, for her courage and resilience throughout the investigation. I hope that the result at court will help to provide some justice.
‘I also hope this sentence will encourage anyone who may have been subject to any type of sexual offence to come forward and talk to us.
‘We will listen to you and we will take appropriate action to hold those responsible to account.’
Anderson also received a three-month sentence for assault, to run concurrently.
The assault charge relates to an incident at a bus stop on Victoria Park Road, London in May last year when two members of the public had to intervene after Anderson threw a bag of clothes at a victim and became verbally aggressive.