Southampton man jailed for rape and sexual assault

A man has been jailed for the rape of a woman at a house in Southampton earlier this year.

Thomas Antony Drew, 26, of Golden Grove, appeared at Southampton Crown Court yesterday (Thursday 5 September) where he was sentenced to three years and four months in prison. He will also be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order with strict conditions for seven years, and will have a restraining order, meaning he will not be able to make contact with the victim for 15 years.

The woman involved, who is in her 30s, reported to police that in the early hours of Tuesday 27 February she was with Drew at a house in Southampton when he forced himself upon her and raped her.

An investigation was launched by Southampton’s Amberstone unit, which specialises in reports of rape and serious sexual assault, and Drew was arrested and subsequently charged.

At a Southampton Crown Court hearing in July he pleaded guilty to one count of rape and one count of sexual assault by penetration.

In a statement read to the court, the victim said that Drew had abused her trust in the most devastating way imaginable, and that what happened to her had impacted both her mental and physical health.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Georgina Harris, who led the investigation, said: “Drew’s actions have understandably had a significant and traumatic effect on the woman he raped and assaulted. While I know that no court outcome can change what she has had to endure, I do sincerely hope that Drew’s imprisonment goes some way in helping her closure and recovery.

“I would like to add that I am incredibly grateful to the victim for reporting what happened to her so swiftly, which meant we were able to arrest Drew quickly and bring him before the courts to face the consequences of his crimes. Without her courage we would not have secured this outcome.

“We take every report of rape and sexual assault made to us extremely seriously. We will investigate each one, no matter what the circumstances, and have specially trained teams to investigate and provide support to victims.

“We urge anyone who feels they have been a victim of rape, other sexual offences and domestic abuse to please report it to us or to a support service. You will be listened to and you will be supported.” 

For more information on the support available, and how to report to police, please visit https://www.hampshire.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/advice/rape-sexual-assault-and-other-sexual-offences/rape-sexual-assault-support/