'Bogeyman' rapist from Great Yarmouth attacked women as they slept and claimed he was dreaming

A rapist who attacked women as they slept and claimed he had been dreaming has been jailed for 14 years.

Norfolk Police said Connor Yaxley, 30, preyed on the women when they were at their most vulnerable.

Yaxley, from Sandown Road in Great Yarmouth, was convicted of five counts of rape and one of sexual assault following a trial in August at Norwich Crown Court.

The court heard he raped two women and sexually assaulted a third between 2017 and 2020.

In one instance, a woman had been asleep when she woke up to find him raping her.

Yaxley claimed he had no recollection of how it happened and said he must have been dreaming at the time.

Another woman was raped at Yaxley’s address after she refused to have sex with him. She told the court that on previous occasions Yaxley had also raped her while she was sleeping.

Yaxley was also found guilty of sexually assaulting a third woman as she slept in an armchair at his address.

The victims' personal statements were read out in court detailing the impact of the attacks on their lives.

One victim described how she was now afraid to sleep, saying: "It feels like there's a bogeyman constantly on my shoulder, like a phantom fear which is difficult to explain. I still can't sleep all of the way through the night because of this feeling of fear I have at night."

Another said she was "haunted" by Yaxley, adding: "I will always be affected by Connor. I will never heal from this trauma. At least now I know that he won't be able to prey on other women."

Yaxley was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court and will serve 14 years in prison followed by eight years on extended licence.

He will also be on the sex offenders register and subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.

Det Con Dylan Thomas said "These offences happened whilst these women were sleeping, and while they were at their most vulnerable.

"They were unsure if anyone would believe them up until they reported what happened to the police, and showed great courage despite the trauma they have suffered."

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