A man who s£xually abused and r@ped a woman shamelessly claimed she had “dreamt” the attack, a court heard.
Justin Saliba, 50, was described by a judge as behaving in a “grotesque” manner and causing “irreparable damage” to his victim, Wales Online reports.
Cardiff Crown Court heard the r@pe happened in 2021 at Saliba’s flat in Cardiff.
The victim, who had consumed alcohol, cannabis and prescription medication, fell asleep and later woke to find Saliba s£xually assaulting her and then r@ping her.
The s£xual attack came to an end when the victim’s phone rang and she managed to escape the room. She immediately reported the attack to family members, who called the police.
When Saliba was arrested, he denied the attack, claiming it had never happened and arguing the victim was confusing a dream with reality.
Saliba, of Cheam Place, Llanishen, Cardiff, was previously convicted of s£xual assault and r@pe. He has eight prior convictions for 25 offences, none of which are of a s£xual nature.
In a statement read by prosecutor Nik Strobl, the victim said she would never get over the attack, adding it would haunt her for the rest of her life.
Kathryn Lane, Saliba’s defence lawyer, said references showed there was another side to him as a “compassionate” family man.
But Judge Eugene Egan said he had targeted his victim, aware of her vulnerable state.
Saliba was sentenced to 11 years in prison and will serve two-thirds in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. He will remain a registered s£x offender for life.