A RAPIST who videoed himself sexually assaulting his sleeping victim has been jailed for nine years.

Andrew Williams carried out a number of horrific sexual assaults on the woman after she had taken medication to help her sleep.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 39-year-old had videoed at least seven attacks on his victim after the disturbing footage was discovered on his mobile phone.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said the abuse had a devastating impact on his victim after he assaulted her without her knowledge.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said: "When it first happened and it first all came out, I could barely leave the house. The idea he had been in my house, I couldn't sleep in the house."

She added: "I couldn't even sleep on my sleeping tablets – I was terrified of bumping into him on the street, so I stayed in a house all the time and ended up losing my job.

"I started getting nightmares and sweating through the night. I couldn't leave the house because it was stressing me out too much.

"I constantly felt sick all of the time. I ended up selling everything in the house when I moved because I couldn't bear to look at it."

The Northern Echo: Andrew WilliamsAndrew Williams

Williams, of Witton Crescent, Darlington, pleaded guilty to two charges of rape, two charges of sexual assault and one charge of assault by penetration.

Andrew Stranex, in mitigation, said his client had pleaded guilty to all charges when he saw the video evidence that the prosecution intended to use at trial.

"He said things to the probation officer that were perhaps an indication of the state of mind he has been going through," he said. "He appears in court today in a respectful and realistic state of mind.

"He is concerned that the complainant knows that he accepts what he did and is sorry for what he did."

Judge Recorder Mark McKone jailed Williams for nine years for the five sexual offences.

He said: "In her victim impact statement she explained how she couldn't sleep in her own bedroom, could barely sleep at all, she had nightmares, she would jump when other people were around and felt sick all of the time.

"These offences have clearly affected her mental health, which was already fragile."

The father-of-two was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order to keep him away from his victim.

He was also told he would have to sign on the sex offenders' register for life.