Rhyl Man Jailed for Hotel Rape After Night of Drugs and Alcohol

A Rhyl man has been jailed after raping a sleeping woman at a Liverpool Travelodge following a night of alcohol and cocaine consumption. 🚨

James Cox, 29, of Sherwood Avenue, was sentenced to five years and three months imprisonment at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to rape.

The court heard that Cox attacked his victim around 7am when another guest woke to find him kissing her neck and raping her, having removed her pyjama bottoms while she slept.

Prosecutor Gareth Roberts told the court that when police attended Cox’s hotel room, they found him with a “deep laceration” to his wrist and holding a piece of glass after self-harming.

Cox has previous convictions for drunk and disorderly behaviour, resisting arrest, a public order offence and possession of cannabis.

Defence solicitor Callum Ross said: “This is a defendant who knows and understands the seriousness of what he has done. To put it bluntly, he has to live with that for the rest of his life and he will.”

Judge Neil Flewitt KC told Cox that the “horror of what he did no doubt had a profound and lasting effect” and added: “You had a relatively longstanding addiction to cocaine, which was compounded by your use of alcohol. It may be that that explains what happened that night.”

“This was a horrible offence. You have been in trouble with the police before, but not for anything on this scale. It is said that you will have to live for the rest of your life with the shame of what you have done, and I accept that.”

Cox will be required to serve two-thirds of his sentence before becoming eligible for release. 👮‍♂️