Man who raped woman while she had a seizure in County Durham is jailed

Warning: This story contains distressing details

A man who raped a woman in County Durham while she was having a seizure has been jailed for nine years.

Steven Catlow, 32, offered to walk the woman home from a gathering at a house on Christmas Day in 2019.

But on the way the woman suffered a seizure and fell on the ground behind a row of shops in Peterlee.

As she came round, she realised Catlow was raping her. The woman reported the incident to the police, and an investigation began.

The case took several years to come to court as Catlow had initially lied about what happened. When his DNA was found in the woman’s underwear, he changed his story to say that consensual sex had taken place.

A jury sitting at Durham Crown Court found him guilty of rape and he was jailed for nine years .

In a victim impact statement, the woman said: “My mental health has been up and down constantly since that day.

"I can never look at Christmas Day the same again – he has ruined this day for me for the rest of my life....because of what he did to me that Christmas Day, nearly five years ago, I will never be the same again.”

Detective Sergeant Erica Kilburn, who led the investigation, said: “Catlow’s actions on that day were abhorrent – he preyed on a woman who was physically not in a position to help herself.

"He is a dangerous predator who abused the woman’s trust and took advantage of her in the most horrific way.

"I’d like to commend the woman who has shown incredible resilience and strength of character throughout this protracted investigation and court case."

If you need support with your mental health, you can find numbers of organisations who can help here

The Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line is available 24/7 and provides support for anyone who has been affected by rape or sexual assault.