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Dartford mum's rape fears when she woke to ex-partner in bedroom

A mother-of-two feared she was about to be raped when a man woke her in her bedroom and put his hand over her mouth.

The victim then realised it was her ex-partner who had used her keys to get into the house in Dartford at 2.30am.

Maidstone Crown Court (20499284)
Maidstone Crown Court (20499284)

But her nightmare had only begun, as drunken Ben Raybould then began screaming abuse after finding her Facebook profile had been "liked" by men friends.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that one of the children became so frightened she filmed the horrifying scene on a mobile phone.

That footage was played to a judge and showed Raybould haranguing his ex-partner as the children pleaded with him to stop.

Now the 38-year-old former Sutton Athletic children football coach, of Lullingstone Avenue, Swanley, has been sent to prison after admitting defying two court restraining orders, sending a malicious communication and harassment.

Prosecutor James Benson said: "After the relationship ended he became more controlling and jealous in particular in relation to the victim's male friends."

Mr Benson added that Raybould has convictions for domestic violence against his ex-lover and in April 2016 a court issued a restraining order against him after a conviction for harassment.

He said Raybould was banned from going to the address.

In March this year, the victim believed the order had lapsed and began meeting Raybould and lending him her car.

On March 8, Raybould was given keys to drive the vehicle, which also included the house key.

The following morning at 2.30 am, she was awakened by someone opening her bedroom door.

"Her room was in darkness and she saw a figure appear at the door. She thought the figure was a burglar. She was, in her words, petrified and feared she was about to be attacked or raped and her children were about to be harmed, " the prosecutor added.

She later told police: "I saw the shadow growing larger and I thought someone had broken into my house and that it was a burglar in my room with me.

"I was absolutely terrified. I don't think I have been so scared in my whole life. I thought that whoever it was, was going to kill me or rape me. I was thinking about the children and I was scared for them.

"I then said: 'What do you want?' I didn't know who it was at this point. I just knew it was a man in my room and I was petrified.

"The man then lent over onto my bed and I felt a hand over my face and felt a sharp pain in my left eye. I didn't know what was happening. Then I felt hands going over my mouth and I heard the male speak."

The prosecutor said it was only then she realised the intruder was her ex-partner who then began to "reel out" a list of names of her male friends she had on Facebook.

"He demanded to know who the men were and why they had 'liked' her; while keeping his hand over her mouth to quieten her screams.

"He threatened to kidnap her while interrogating her about an old primary school friend. His outburst then woke up the two children.

"The child later told police: "He was all over her, shouting in her face. I put my arms up around my mum to try to stop him. I was shocked'," the prosecutor added.

"He threatened to kidnap her while interrogating her about an old primary school friend..." — Prosecutor James Benson

Her other child then appeared and tried to appeal to him, and began hitting him telling him to stop.

In desperation they began recording the 15-minute incident on their mobile phone, in which Raybould could be heard screaming "Who are they?" and "How dare you disrespect me, girl?"

They later told police in a tearful interview: "He was like a psychopath, crazy, insane, angry."

Raybould then left but began sending abusive messages calling her "a whore" because a man had liked her Facebook profile.

The following day he contacted her again saying he had left his football kit in the boot of the car and she agreed to return the items - but then began abusing her mother, who was in the car

He also sent a message to her father demanding he convince her to change her settings on Facebook and again making derogatory remarks about them.

In one message he threatened to hurt a number of her friends before abusing her father and offering to fight him, Mr Benson said.

Raybould, who police would not release a custody image of, was later arrested and admitted he had been drinking and had gone to the house.

He said the eye injury had been done accidentally and the police then showed him the footage which had been taken.

"He couldn't watch it. He just covered his ears."

John Fitzgerald, defending, said: "He appreciates he was in the wrong. Those were a horrible few seconds in the footage. He took matters too far.

"You clearly had not come to terms with the fact that your former partner was now living an independent life..." — Judge Stephen Thomas

"It was an unpleasant incident which came after a long relationship and his life was falling to pieces.

"On that night his emotions got the better of him."

Judge Stephen Thomas jailed him for 18 months, telling him: "You clearly had not come to terms with the fact that your former partner was now living an independent life.

"You crept up to her bedroom, in the dark..she must have been absolutely terrified. I have seen the footage and the children were terrified too.

A new five-year restraining order was imposed by the judge which included the victim's parents.

A Sutton Athletic spokesman added: "As soon as the allegations where brought to our attention regarding Raybould he was released of his duties and is no longer part of the club and hasn't been for some time now.

"We pride ourself on having a safe environment for the boys to play in on a weekly basis with qualified coaching staff."

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