21-year-old raped sleeping woman

A 21-year-old man has been found guilty of raping a woman as she slept.

Anthony West, of Meadowbank Street in Belfast, had claimed he had consensual sex with the woman, who was a teenager at the time on 24 November last year.

The trial heard West had earlier called to her house at about 0630, where she made him a cup of tea in the kitchen.

West went away but left the back door unlocked. He returned later, and after scaling a wall, he sneaked through her house before attacking her.

Giving evidence to the jury at Belfast Crown Court, the woman, who cannot be identified to protect her identity, said she had come home from a party and was in bed when West first called to her house.

She said she had spurned his advances and sent a text message to her friend expressing her relief she had managed to get rid of him.

The jury was told she went back to bed but woke up sometime later to find West raping her.

He was convicted by a majority of 10 to two.

After the verdict was announced, the judge called for security staff at the court to clear the public gallery amid uproar among some of West's friends and family.