Prison for rapist who subjected his victim to 'violent, sickening, and savage' attack in squalid Mansfield flat

The woman had fallen out with a friend she was staying with and went drinking in Nottingham when she met Robert Taylor, in October, last year, Nottingham Crown Court was told.

James Bide-Thomas, prosecuting, said: “They took a taxi to Mansfield and she made it plain she didn’t want anything sexual from him.

However, after she passed out in the flat, belonging to an associate of Taylor’s, he undressed her and she woke to find him pulling her hair, yelling at her and hitting her as he raped her “aggressively and violently”.

Mr Bide-Thomas said: “If she tried to turn away, he would smack her around the face. It is plain from his guilty plea these things were done repeatedly over a period of time.

“She was terrified. She didn’t think she’d get out.”

Taylor threatened to burn her eyes out with a cigarette when she woke him.

When he took a call, she tried to get help from the person on the other end of the line, but Taylor became angrier and more abusive.

Taylor finally told her to get dressed and threw her luggage into the street. She ran outside and asked a dog-walker for help, on Sunday, October 2, at 8am.

She was struggling to see because of severe bruising and she needed three weeks of hospital treatment for fractured ribs and a bleed on the brain.

Police found the flat “dirty and untidy with rubbish littered all over and blood stains on the mattress and bedframe”.

The court heard 49-year-old Taylor has 39 previous convictions for 127 offences, from 1988-2021, mostly dishonesty and violence. He was jailed for attempted robbery in 2004 and for possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear in 2021.

Taylor, formerly of Eland Street, Nottingham, admitted six counts of rape and one of grievous bodily harm.

Nicola Hunter, mitigating, said: "He can’t explain his behaviour. He is horrified. He wants to place himself in a position where this can never happen again.”

Mr Recorder Simon King jailed Taylor for 12 years, with an extended licence of four years, “to protect the public in future”.

Violent, sickening, and savage

​Detective Inspector Jamie Moore, of Nottinghamshire Police’s public protection department, said: “This survivor was subjected to what can only be described as violent, sickening, and savage treatment by Taylor who left her with severe injuries in the street.

“I’d like to commend her for her bravery shown throughout our investigation.

“I also hope our work in this case reassures other victims they can feel confident about coming forward and that Nottinghamshire Police treats rape and sexual assault extremely seriously.

“We will always do everything in our power to make sure violent offenders like Taylor are held to account and victims are offered the support they need by specially-trained officers.

“We understand victims of these offences are often coming to us for help at the most difficult time in their lives, and I want them to know we will listen, they will be taken seriously, we will investigate and do everything we can to get justice for them.”

Rape Crisis England & Wales have a 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year – call free on 0808 500 2222.