WOMAN, 24, RAPED BY HER FIANCÉ WHILE HAVING AN EPILEPTIC FIT
A woman identified as Georgina Adams, aged 24, has spoken out about her harrowing experience of being raped by her fiancé, Peter Cotterill.Cotterill, a 20-stone binman, was convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison.
The assault occurred while Georgina was experiencing an epileptic fit, during which she discovered her clothes had been forcibly removed.
According to Georgina, she only realized she had been assaulted after she woke up and found herself naked, initially thinking she may have removed her clothes herself due to the seizures.
She recalls going to bed feeling a seizure coming on, and her fiancé, Cotterill, was supportive as he went to bed at the same time.
However, she was raped during her seizure on June 9, and after a second attack three weeks later, Georgina finally reported the incident to the police.
The court heard that Cotterill, who had previously been her full-time carer because of her epilepsy, forced himself on her despite her protests and attempts to push him off.
The victim described feeling shocked and betrayed because Cotterill knew exactly what was happening during her seizures.
She also detailed how she woke from a seizure to find Cotterill performing a sex act on her, which left her feeling dirty and humiliated.
After she confronted him and he initially denied everything, he later admitted to the assault.
She was left severely bruised but was too afraid to speak out initially.
It was only after a further incident, where she saw Cotterill performing a sex act on her again, that she summoned the courage to contact the police.
Cotterill was arrested and charged with rape and sexual assault, ultimately admitting to the crimes before being sentenced in December 2016.
Georgina emphasized her relief at his imprisonment but expressed ongoing emotional pain.
She urged other victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence to come forward and seek support, stating, "Don't be ashamed.
Don't be a victim, be a survivor." Her story is supported by a charity representative from Savana that provides counseling to victims of rape and domestic violence.
The court's sentence, while seen as just, was described by Georgina as not enough, as she said, "The sentence is never going to be long enough.
Even if he got a life sentence, it still wouldn't be enough.
No sentence can erase what happened to me." She also questioned whether Cotterill's actions were premeditated, reflecting her ongoing confusion and pain.
She added that her family, especially her father, have been deeply affected by her experiences, and she encourages others to report abuse and seek help.
