September 2023 Rapist leaves woman ‘disgusted and numb’ Rapist Thomas Hayward has been jailed – after leaving his victim ‘disgusted and numb’. The 31-year-old, of Meir View, Meir, has been locked up for three years after admitting one count of rape. In a harrowing statement, his victim said: “I was traumatised. I felt disgusted and completely numb.” The court heard that Hayward pleaded guilty to the offence at a pre-trial preparation hearing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Rash Mohammed, mitigating, said: “He accepted in an interview with police that he raped his victim. I do not seek to undermine the seriousness of this crime. Hayward is now on the Sex Offenders’ Register for the rest of his life. Judge David Fletcher said: “Rape is a horrendous offence. I have read your letter explaining and I accept that you are genuinely remorseful. The mitigating factors are you have no previous convictions, you express remorse, and you are of previous good character. I am handing you a starting point of four years and six months in prison. That is reduced by a third for your guilty plea.”