A CARLISLE man has been given a three-year prison term for the rape of a woman.
Harry Sayce, 22, was sentenced at the city’s crown court today (MON). He had admitted one charge of rape arising out of an incident on June 5 last year.
Sayce was said to have “forced” the female “to perform oral sex upon him”. “Matters came to light as, in guilt, he confessed his crime to a friend the following day,” prosecutor Jon Close told the court.
That confession – and the pal’s “disgust” at what he had heard – triggered a “cascade of events” which led to police arresting Sayce on June 6.
Sayce told police: “I’ve done a bad thing – the worst a person can do.”
Judge Peter Davies heard that, had it not been for Sayce’s confession, there would have been no prosecution.
Having considered background reports, mitigation and that Sayce, of Buchanan Place, Carlisle, was a “vulnerable individual”, Judge Davies imposed a three-year jail term.
“I know and I am confident you are contrite and sorry,” said Judge Davies, who was told how the victim’s confidence in men had “taken a knock”.
But, ordering Sayce to sign the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, Judge Davies stated: “There has to be a custodial sentence, because it is rape.”
DC Stephen Kidd said: “The victim and defendant in this case are both vulnerable people and the sentence today reflects this. Mr Sayce will serve his sentence and will be placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register.”
