A dangerous individual who sexually assaulted a woman while she was asleep has received a sentence of 14 years.
Following the reprehensible incident, Ashley Iddon, 29, inundated his victim with texts, some of which attributed blame to her for his behaviour.
After we arrested him Iddon admitted what he had done to work colleagues, telling one ‘she made me do it’.
Iddon, of Well Orchard, Bamber Bridge, pleaded guilty to rape when he appeared in the dock at Preston Crown Court on the day he was due to stand trial.
Yesterday (December 5) Judge Heather Lloyd deemed Iddon to pose a significant risk to women and sentenced him to 11 years custody, with a three-year extended licence period. He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life. An indefinite restraining order was also imposed.
Following sentence, the victim stated she was pleased she could finally move on from this and believed that Iddon has received the sentence he deserved. She said the whole thing has caused her distress for a number of years, so it is comforting for her to know it is finally over. She said her and her family can now live comfortably knowing Iddon is finally in prison.
DC Rebecca Pugh, of South CID, said: “Iddon is a dangerous man who has warped and appalling attitudes towards women. That is demonstrated by his attempts to justify his abhorrent actions to work colleagues by blaming the victim.
“I am pleased with the sentence handed down by the court which reflects the seriousness of Iddon’s offending. Even after he is released, Iddon will continue to be monitored by the relevant authorities.
“We are committed to protecting women and girls from all forms of abuse and violence. I hope this case and its outcome will encourage other victims to come forward, knowing they will be listened to and believed and that we will do everything in our power to put their abuser before the courts.”
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 111 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.