Newcastle man raped woman while she was asleep in bed

A man has been jailed after raping a woman while she was asleep in her bed.

The victim had awoken to find Corey Steele having sex with her, which she had not consented to.

Ignoring her struggles and pleas for him to stop, he instead tried to restrain her. She eventually managed to break free and punched the 25-year-old in the face.

Steele, of Lindisfarne Close, East Denton, Newcastle, was charged with several counts of rape and a separate investigation by Northumbria Police relating to a similar attack on another woman led him to be charged with an additional count of rape.

Northumbria Police said he was sharing a bed with the woman but she withdrew her consent after she became unwell.

Ignoring her pleas for him to stop, he proceeded to rape her. She told officers she told him this was rape and he said "I don’t care" and continued to pin her down.

She fought to get free and shouted for help until Steele eventually stopped – fearing he would be caught.

He initially denied the offences, but eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of rape relating to the two women on the first day of his scheduled trial.

He was jailed for 14 years after appearing at Newcastle Crown Court.

In a victim impact statement, one of Steele’s victims said his actions had changed her outlook on life and left her unable to trust people.

She said: “I was bright and bubbly, I was trusting and impressionable – Corey took this away from me and I rarely go out now.

“After the incidents, and during the investigation leading up to and including the trial I felt depressed and stressed. I also felt angry at Corey for denying what he had done to me.

“I would have liked for him to take responsibility for his actions and to understand why it was wrong to treat women as he treated me.”

Detective Constable Robert Mellenthin, from Durham Police, said: “These women have shown great strength and fortitude in coming forward to speak to officers about their horrific ordeals at the hands of Steele, and their bravery has seen him jailed for a significant length of time.

“I hope this result brings the women some sense that justice has been served, and brings them the closure needed to allow them to move on with their lives.

“I also hope their bravery will give other people who have suffered at the hands of an abuser the confidence to come forward and report it to police.

“This case has proven that we, and our colleagues at Northumbria Police, take reports of rape extremely seriously, and will do everything we can do ensure victims and survivors are supported, and that their attackers are brought to justice.”

He added: “This case should serve as a reminder that no always means no, and that ‘no’ can be conveyed by more than just speech.

“If someone is asleep, it is clear they have not given you consent for you to touch them. Likewise, if someone tries to push you away, freezes, or very clearly becomes distressed, they have not consented to you touching them.

“If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or raped, please come forward and speak to police – we have specially trained officers who can support you every step of the way, and will work with you to help you get the justice you deserve.”

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