Joshua Blachford, 29, from Christchurch, Dorset, has been jailed for three years and nine months after pleading guilty to raping a woman in Ringwood between 17-18 February this year.
Blachford, of Everest Road, was sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on Tuesday 12 August following his guilty plea to the rape charge.
The offence occurred at a property in Ringwood during the weekend of Saturday 17 February to Sunday 18 February.
During sentencing, the court heard a powerful Victim Personal Statement in which the survivor described the devastating impact of the attack on her life.
The victim told the court: “Before I was raped, I was confident. Outgoing. Full of energy and ambition. That version of me feels like a stranger now – someone who was stolen in the space of a single, horrific event.
“My relationship with my own body has changed. I used to be body positive. I liked the way I looked. Now I hide in baggy clothes, desperate not to be seen, not to be noticed, especially by men. Being looked at feels threatening. I no longer feel like a woman – I feel like a target.
“This rape has changed the way I see everything. The world. Myself. My future. And although I’m trying, healing isn’t about ‘getting back to normal’ for me because normal no longer exists.”
She concluded her statement by saying: “I’ve had to accept that the person I was will never return. And that’s a grief I carry on top of everything else.”
In addition to his prison sentence, Blachford will be required to register with police as a sex offender upon his release. A restraining order has also been imposed, prohibiting any contact with his victim.
Detective Constable Emma Kelly, from the Western Amberstone team, said: “I am so pleased for the victim in this case that justice has now been served for her, and that Blachford has been placed behind bars, where he belongs.
“While I know this result won’t rid the victim of the memories of what Blachford did, I truly hope it allows her to move forward with her life, safe in the knowledge that he can no longer harm anyone else.
“I must place on record my thanks to the victim in this case for her support throughout our investigation. Without her bravery and determination, we would not have been able to achieve this outcome at court.”
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DC Kelly added: “I hope it will reassure other victims that they will be listened to when reporting similar incidents to us, and that detectives on our dedicated Amberstone teams will work tirelessly to secure justice.
“At this point, I would like to encourage other victims to come forward and speak to us. We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously.
“This sentencing should also be a very clear message to other offenders out there that we will always thoroughly investigate any report made to us, in our determined effort to bring you before the courts.”
Anyone with concerns or information regarding rape or sexual assault can contact police on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Support services are available for victims of abuse, regardless of whether they report the crime to police. Survivors of sexual abuse are entitled to support and can access different types of assistance depending on their needs.
For more information on support after rape and sexual assault, visit the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary website.
