Newark man who sexually assaulted three woman in one evening is jailed at Nottingham Crown Court

A Newark man who sexually assaulted three women in one evening has been jailed.

Matthew Jarrard Cope, 40, of Rutland Avenue, told police he simply couldn't remember what had happened that evening because he was so drunk.

But Judge Gregory Dickinson QC, sentencing at Nottingham Crown Court, said this wasn't an excuse or explanation for the unwanted sexual behaviour.

The prosecution said Cope was friendly at first, but within 45 minutes started to act in an inappropriate and sexual manner — reaching up the first victim's dress despite her telling him to back off.

"The victim told him not to make an idiot of himself but he rubbed her leg in a sexual way, and [she] said 'you have no right to touch me'," the court heard.

The woman became angry when he didn't stop and tried to restrain him by holding his wrists, before grabbing him by the throat and shouting to get the attention of others at the gathering.

Another victim was sexually assaulted by Cope, who touched her vagina through her clothing.

But despite knowing the sexual advances were unwanted, the prosecution said, Cope walked straight into the kitchen where another woman was — and touched her breasts.

The court was told: "It was a prolonged and sustained incident with a number of aggravating features."

In police interview, Cope said he had no memory of these incidents and had a lot to drink — probably two to three bottles of vodka.

He was charged with three counts of sexual assault following the incidents at his house in April 2019.

He initially pleaded not guilty and the case was set for trial in February this year, but admitted the offences on the day of trial.

A victim statement read out in court said: "I feel a failure for not being able to deal with these feelings, I thought I could work through it but I tried and failed — and it's all because of that night and Matthew.

"I know not everyone has bad intentions, but then again it does not take everyone — it just takes someone."

The matter was before Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing today.

Cope's defence made the case that the assaults, and most of the previous convictions, were borne from his alcohol dependency — and added he was a binge drinker.

"This is a case where the custodial sentence can be suspended and a stringent community order imposed," said the defence.

But Judge Dickinson QC, Recorder for Nottinghamshire, said that wasn't the case in his opinion.

He said: "The offences took place at your home in Newark, you made sexual advances, you tried to [sexually] touch these women.

"One of the victims restrained you and told you not to be an idiot but you rubbed her leg in a sexual way and although she acted angrily — she made it clear she did not consent.

"Others tried to intervene and you walked up to another woman and touched her on the breast, the police were called and recall how drunk you were.

"You have no recollection which begs the question why you pleaded not guilty [in the first instance]. If you had pleaded guilty, this would have been over two years ago.

"I have read the impact on the victims and the affects — they are worried about going out and having feelings of guilt and blaming themselves, and it never goes away. There will always be something that triggers them."

Judge Dickinson QC handed Cope a sentence of 18 months in prison, and imposed four-year restraining orders against him in relation to two of the victims.