Batley man jailed for sex attack on woman while she was unconscious

A man who carried out a serious sex assault on a woman while she was drunk and under the influence of cannabis has been jailed for seven years.
Matthew HancockMatthew Hancock
Matthew Hancock

Matthew Hancock assaulted his victim at a house in Leeds as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

Hancock was found guilty of the offence by a jury at Leeds Crown Court after a trial in which he gave evidence and accused his victim and another woman of making up the allegation as part of a “conspiracy”.

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The court heard Hancock, the victim and the woman had been drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis.

During the course of the evening the victim felt unwell and vomited before laying down on a sofa.

Hancock carried out the offence when the other woman briefly left the room.

The defendant slapped the woman across the face to check if she was unconscious before carrying out the assault.

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Police were contacted after the victim rang her boyfriend and the other woman to tell them what Hancock had done.

Hancock, 28, of Windmill Lane, Batley, was found guilty of assault by penetration.

The defendant claimed the two women had made up the allegation against him for flirting with another woman earlier that evening.

Prosecutor Richard Woolfall read a statement to the court on behalf of the victim describing the trauma she had suffered since the offence.

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She said: “I am no longer the same person. I am no longer able to relax in any situation.

“My ability to trust has gone.”

A pre-sentence report stated Hancock now admits carrying out the offence.

Charles Blatchford, mitigating, said Hancock has no previous convictions for sexual offences.