[A] MAN has been convicted of kidnapping and raping a woman in Carlisle.
Luke Thompson, 24, was found guilty of three offences – and cleared of four other charges – today (WED) at the city’s crown court following a trial lasting more than a week.
Jurors had heard evidence from a woman who spoke of the kidnap and rape, which occurred at an address in the Upperby area of Carlisle.
She told how Thompson grabbed her by a scarf, shoved her into a flat and then pushed her up against a wall before raping her.
Thompson had been “pawing at me”, she told police during an interview shown to jurors in court. “I tried to stop him. I tried to push him off,” said the woman, who confessed to feeling “dirty” afterwards.
Thompson was convicted of another rape of the woman, but acquitted of two further rape allegations and an alleged sexual assault. He was also cleared of using controlling and coercive behaviour towards a different woman.
Recorder Mark Ainsworth remanded Thompson, of no fixed address, in custody. The defendant showed no emotion in the dock as the verdicts were returned.
Background reports were requested by Recorder Ainsworth, who is due to pass sentence at the crown court on September 7.
