Victim was offered tea after rape

An estate agent has been jailed for six years for raping a woman as she slept.

Toby Woods, 31, crept into her bed as she was sleeping at a house in Roath, Cardiff. After the attack, he asked her if she wanted a cup of tea.

Woods, of Bath, Avon, had denied rape, claiming that the woman consented to sex with him.

Judge Neil Bidder QC, at Cardiff Crown Court, told Woods he took advantage of the woman, who had had too much to drink and had taken cocaine.

The trial heard that Woods had been out drinking the previous evening with a group which included the woman.

He spent the night on a friend's settee while the woman had sex with another man in a neighbouring bedroom.

"You have shown throughout the trial no evidence of remorse or sympathy"
Judge Neil Bidder QC

When the man left for work in the morning, the court was told that Woods sneaked into her bedroom and began having sex with her as she slept.

Elizabeth Pearson, prosecuting, said: "She woke up to find someone was having sex with her.

"The woman told him to stop but he continued. He then asked her if she wanted a cup of tea.

"She was shocked and demanded he get off her. He got dressed and left the room. She was very upset and telephoned someone to come and pick her up."

Woods, who originally lived in Cardiff, admitted having sex with the woman but said it had been consensual.

Timothy Evans, defending, told the court: "Although he has had a wild past in recent years, as far as his employment is concerned he was doing his best to put the past behind him."

'Vulnerable'

Judge Neil Bidder QC told Woods: "You took advantage of this woman who, like other young people in her group that night, had had too much to drink and taken cocaine.

"You have shown throughout the trial no evidence of remorse or sympathy."

The judge said Woods' victim was "vulnerable". He said: "The impact on her has been significant.

"Since the offence she has had difficulty sleeping and has reverted to her childhood habits of sleeping with the light on.

"She has lost confidence and self esteem and at this stage her outlook on life is a very pessimistic one."

The court heard Woods had previous convictions for possessing offensive weapons, violent disorder and drink-driving.

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