MATTHEW COPE SENTENCED TO PRISON IN NEWARK FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS AT FAMILY HOME

A man named Matthew Cope, from Rutland Avenue in Newark, Nottinghamshire, has been sentenced to prison after sexually assaulting three women at a party held at his family residence. Cope, 40 years old, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault. Nottinghamshire Police reported that he was intoxicated when he groped three women during birthday celebrations. On Thursday, Cope was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Nottingham Crown Court and was also issued a four-year restraining order.

According to police, Cope had already been drinking heavily when he joined his partner at a birthday gathering at a local pub in Newark. After inviting attendees back to his house, he continued drinking excessively and began making unwanted sexual advances towards several women in the presence of his partner and other family members. Authorities added that Cope did not cease his actions even when others intervened and that he physically restrained one of the women by putting her in a headlock when she tried to defend herself.

Police responded to reports at the house on Rutland Avenue in Newark and arrested Cope after finding him passed out and intoxicated in his kitchen in the early hours of October 13, 2019. Prior to sentencing, a victim impact statement was read aloud by one of the women, who expressed that the incident had made her feel “physically sick.”

PC Vicky Buttery of Nottinghamshire Police stated, “Cope's actions that night were completely unacceptable and have quite rightly resulted in a prison sentence.” She emphasized that despite Cope being extremely drunk at the time, this did not justify his behavior, describing his actions as inexcusable.