Rapist jailed for eight years

11:44am Mon Oct 01, 2012

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A man who raped and sexually assaulted women and took photos of them while they were unconscious, has been jailed.

Robert Fryer, 30, of Bleasby Road, Thurgarton, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty to three counts of rape and a separate sexual assault against one woman, and admitting sexual assaulting another woman, as well as causing her to engage in sexual activity without her consent.

He received eight years imprisonment for the rape and sexual assault on the first woman, and three years for the two offences against the other woman, which will run concurrently.

He will spend his lifetime on the Sex Offenders’ Register and has been banned from working with children.

Fryer admitted carrying out his crimes while the women were in an unconscious state, claiming he was attracted to women when they appeared asleep or unconscious — a sexual preference known as somnophelia

In summing up, Judge Jonathan Teare said that while there was no evidence to prove Fryer had drugged or plied his victims with alcohol to render them unconscious, the seized photos and the balance of probability was that he had done so.

On further inspection of his home, hundreds of indecent images of his victims, some dating back three years, were recovered from his laptop and mobile phone.

Detective Louise Gorman said: “Robert Fryer is a danger to women. His depraved crimes and meticulous recording of them shows a blatant disrespect and disregard for his victims’ welfare.

“While they, thankfully, have no recollection of Fryer’s crimes against them, they continue to face mental and emotional trauma in the aftermath.

"Notwithstanding that, it is thanks to their bravery that we were able to secure his prosecution and subsequent conviction.

“I hope this result helps them to come to terms with what happened, safe in the knowledge that their attacker is behind bars and can no longer harm them.”