BRUCE PATTERSON AND SHOCKING RAPE IN NEWCASTLE AND WHITLEY BAY
A man named Bruce Patterson, residing on West Percy Street in North Shields, has been sentenced to prison after committing a serious sexual assault in the Whitley Bay area.The incident involved Patterson giving a woman alcohol and a street-bought tablet while they were together in her home, which ultimately led to a disturbing and unlawful act.
According to court proceedings, Patterson and the victim were watching television together at her residence.
During this time, Patterson supplied her with alcohol and a tablet he had purchased on the streets.
The woman, after consuming these substances, fell asleep.
While she was unconscious, Patterson engaged in a sexual assault that lasted for over an hour.
The court heard that the woman was not fully awake during the assault and was only aware of being moved around, indicating she was in a semi-conscious state.
Judge Julie Clemitson described the sequence of events, stating, "You gave her a tablet, these were street-bought tablets.
She had had quite a lot of alcohol to drink and a strong painkiller on top of the alcohol.
Over the next couple of hours, you watched films and she fell asleep.
It is clear she was soundly asleep but was aware of being lumped around." The judge emphasized that Patterson's actions occurred while the woman was in a vulnerable state, and she had no awareness of how long the assault lasted.
The court further revealed that Patterson took more than an hour to interfere with the woman before stepping outside for a cigarette.
The following day, Patterson behaved as if nothing had happened, even asking for her phone number.
Meanwhile, the victim’s hazy memory of the incident resurfaced, and she realized she had been raped.
She described feeling "minging" and continues to struggle with the emotional aftermath of the assault.
Defense attorney David Callan argued that Patterson had no prior convictions related to sexual offenses.
He also mentioned that Patterson had experienced abuse during his youth and suffers from bipolar disorder and a learning difficulty.
Callan stated that Patterson is currently institutionalized in prison and expressed that while Patterson accepted the verdict, he did not agree with it.
Ultimately, the court sentenced Bruce Patterson to nine years in prison.
Additionally, he will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, reflecting the severity of his crime and the ongoing risk to the community.
