Isle of Wight man jailed for raping woman as she slept

A man has been jailed for seven years for raping a woman on the Isle of Wight.

Ross Lacey, aged 37, was convicted of rape on 7 December 2023 following a trial at Isle of Wight Crown Court.

The court heard that in early 2019 the victim had been asleep and under the influence of alcohol and medication, when Lacey took advantage of her and raped her. She described feeling violated and ashamed as a result of his actions, and later found the courage to report it to police in May 2021.

Lacey was subsequently charged with the rape in February 2022, which he denied. The case went to trial on 4 December 2023, following which Lacey was found guilty by the jury.

Appearing at Portsmouth Crown Court on Friday 26 July this year Lacey, of Gort Road in East Cowes, was jailed for 7 years and handed an indefinite restraining order.

The officer in the case, Police Staff Investigator Louisa Parkin, said: “Reporting this incident to police took enormous courage, as did finding the strength and resilience to see the case through to this point.

“The victim in this case not only suffered a horrific sexual assault, but she was left with feelings of shame because of what Lacey did to her. Lacey will now spend a considerable amount of time in prison because of this.

“Rape and sexual offences have a long-lasting impact on survivors, and I hope that this result reassures those affected by sexual abuse that we take these allegations very seriously, and will do everything in our power to support victims and take action against perpetrators.”

If you have been affected by sexual abuse, you can report this to police in confidence by calling 101.

Not everyone who has experienced this type of abuse has the confidence to report to police. There are services out there that can offer help to you, completely independent of the police, should you need support.

For more information on where to seek support in your area, please visit our website: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/