Rapist Sentenced to Prison for Attacks, Including One Where He Laughed

Cory Thompson, of Abbeydale Road, Sheffield, has been imprisoned after raping a woman in her Derby home in March 2022. The attack occurred in her bedroom, where she attempted to fight him off, and he reportedly laughed during her efforts to stop him. This assault took place several months after Thompson had sexually assaulted a different individual in July 2021. In that prior incident, he had driven her to a lake situated near Godfrey Drive in Kirk Hallam, Derbyshire. The 29-year-old received a sentence of nine years and three months in prison at Derby Crown Court on Thursday. A jury found Thompson guilty of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault after a trial held in October. The jury could not reach verdicts regarding two charges of sexual activity with a child, and these specific charges were ordered to lie on file. Thompson was acquitted of charges for sexual assault and for placing a person in fear of violence through harassment. Testimony presented in court indicated that the woman who was raped attempted to resist, but Thompson responded by laughing and striking her. Prior to targeting both victims, he was under the influence of alcohol. Sarah Knight, representing the prosecution, stated that the woman who was raped felt “isolated and lonely” when the attack occurred, which was during the Covid pandemic. A statement conveyed on her behalf by Miss Knight read: “This whole case has stolen years of my life. I feel like I am just in survival mode.” During Thompson’s sentencing, Judge James Carter remarked: “[Your offending] has had a large impact on [the rape victim’s] confidence. She is now hyper vigilant and feels haunted about what you did to her.” The second assault involved Thompson kissing the victim on the lips without her consent, followed by him forcefully pushing her against his car door. David Young, representing the defense, noted that while it did not excuse his actions, Thompson had experienced anxiety following the passing of his father. Alongside the prison sentence, a restraining order was issued for each complainant involved in the proceedings.