A six-year jail term has been imposed on a man who raped a woman he had met at a bar.
Kieran Champion met the woman in Margate in July 2018 before they went back to his home in Merchants Way, Canterbury.
During the evening, the victim told Champion he wasn’t her type and rebuffed his advances.
She then went to sleep on a chair but woke up to find Champion raping her.
Arrest
The woman left the property and called Kent Police, who arrested Champion on the same day.
Forensic evidence undermined Champion’s claims he had not raped the woman and he was charged with rape and a sexual assault.
The 28-year-old was convicted of both counts on Monday 20 September 2021, following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court, and he was jailed for a total of six years on Monday 4 October 2021.
Justice for victims
Investigating officer Detective Constable Matthew Herriott said: ‘Kent Police takes violence against women extremely seriously and is committed to bringing those who commit sexual offences like those in this case before the courts.
‘These offences will have a long-term impact on the victim and this was made worse by Champion’s refusal to admit his crimes, leading to a trial. I hope the sentence now handed down gives the victim a sense that justice has been done.
‘I urge anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence to contact Kent Police as soon as possible. We’ll take steps to keep you safe and act to make sure offenders cannot harm others.’