A Bexhill man who raped a woman at an address in Hastings after meeting her hours earlier, has been sentenced.
Frederick Thomas Lake, 28, a window cleaner, of Withyham Road, Cooden. Bexhill, was handed a seven year jail term at Lewes Crown Court on Friday 29 October, having been convicted in August of the rape of the 34-year-old woman at an address in Hastings on 20 October 2018.
He will be a registered sex offender indefinitely, and was also given a Restraining Order for life, prohibiting him from any contact with his victim.
Detective Constable Liz Brunt of the East Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit said:
"Lake was clearly a predatory offender, taking the opportunity to assault his victim when she was asleep and thus at her most vulnerable.
"They had met with friends in the town some hours earlier and had gone back to the flat of one of them, but when she became tired and went to go to sleep in a bedroom, Lake followed and attacked her.
"The woman did not consent to what was happening and as soon as she reported the offence we began immediate enquiries resulting in Lake's arrest, prosecution by the CPS, and eventual conviction. She bravely gave evidence at his trial which was clearly key in securing justice."
For information on how to report sexual offences and the services available see the Sussex Police website.
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