Accrington man sentenced to six years for rape
Brian Matthews was found guilty of a serious sexual assault in East Lancashire
A man from Accrington has been sentenced to six years in prison after being convicted of raping a young woman at her home in East Lancashire.
Brian Matthews, 23, was sentenced at Burnley Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of the crime. The trial revealed that Matthews sent messages on Snapchat which admitted to the offence, despite initially claiming it was his word against the victim's.
Detectives were able to trace the origin of the messages, confirming Matthews as the sender, even as he denied involvement during police interviews. Matthews was also issued a lifetime requirement to register as a sex offender and received a 15-year restraining order concerning the victim.
The victim, who cannot be named due to anonymity laws for sexual offence victims, bravely testified during the trial, reliving the ordeal in court.
Detective Constable Dan Healey, from the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team, commended the bravery of the victim and encouraged other victims of sexual offences to report crimes to the police. Healey affirmed, "If you have been the victim of sexual offences, please report it – Lancashire Police will listen to you, support you and thoroughly investigate so that we can put offenders before the court."
Lancashire Police remain committed to supporting victims and ensuring justice is served in cases of sexual crime.