Leeds student who raped woman in her room handed five-year jail sentence
A student who raped a woman after a night of drinking in Leeds has been jailed.
Liam Dennis continues to maintain his innocence but was found guilty following a trial at Leeds Crown Court. He was also found guilty of sexual assault from the same incident.
It was heard that the woman had been out in November 2021 for birthday celebrations.
Later on Dennis was in her room and she became upset, but “minutes later” he instigated sexual activity.
Afterwards he fell asleep on her bed and she went to the bathroom.
Judge Robin Mairs told Dennis during his sentencing hearing this week: “The magnitude of what he had done did not dawn on you.”
The woman read out her victim impact statement and said that night had “damaged and changed her as a person”.
Mitigating for Dennis, who was 21 at the time but is now 25, Susannah Proctor said he continues to deny wrongdoing.
She said it had “devastated” his parents and he was “naturally terrified” of going to prison.
Dennis, of Orchard Drive, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, has no previous convictions.
Judge Mairs jailed him for five years and put him on the sex offender register for life.