A British man convicted of raping a sleeping woman was notified that he may have contracted HIV from his victim.
Richard Thomas, 27, was sentenced to five years and four months in prison for raping
a woman in her home while she slept, according to the BBC. Thomas said he knew the
woman was ill but did not know it could be HIV. He reportedly collapsed when told the news.
“She froze and no words were exchanged,” said prosecutor Harry Pepper. “He pulled up his shorts and left.”
The lawyer for Thomas, Virginia Hayton, said that Thomas was unsure of the events of
the night but told her the woman “would not lie, she tells the truth. If she says I
have done it, I have done it,” according to The Telegraph. It was not immediately clear whether Thomas knew his victim before the assault.
Judge Mark Brown presiding over the case ordered that Thomas be sentenced to five
years and four months, as well as giving him a permanent listing on the Sex Offenders Register for the “dreadful offense.”
Hayton described Thomas as agonizing over the night’s events. Thomas has previous
convictions but none for sexual assault or rape.
