Rapist told to expect long jail term

Lee Holland raped a woman when he knew she was in no position to consent and “smiled” then next day when she told him she was sorry for being in a state.

Holland, of Albion Terrace, had the grin wiped from his face when a jury of seven women and five men convicted him of raping the woman after a four-day trial at Hull Crown Court last week.

The jury were left stunned in silence after the verdict when they were told, for the first time, 37-year-old Holland had two convictions for 10 rapes on a boy when he was 16.

Holland rocked on his feet and turned pale as Judge Mark Bury told him he wanted to adjourn for a pre-sentence report to access his level of dangerousness.

He said: “You must understand you are going to receive a long sentence.”

His victim was not in court to hear the verdict.

The court heard Holland boasted of threesomes as a “status thing” and liked young girls.

He was constantly texting his girlfriend on the night of the attack asking who she would like to share his bed with.

The victim told the jury in a DVD interview: “I fell asleep and woke up to him.

“I wanted to cry. I just froze because I was really scared.

“I pretended to wake up. He went into the other room.”

“I told my partner what had happened. He said I had to tell my mum.”

She said she told Holland’s girlfriend – but she did not believe her.

Holland’s 19-year-old girlfriend stood by him throughout the trial, but did not go in to see him taken to cells.

Holland was arrested by police and said the woman had “come on to him” that night.

But Crown barrister Patrick Palmer said: “You can be sure of this defendant’s guilt. He knew she was in no condition, she was asleep and she did not consent.”

Holland was remanded in custody. He will be sentenced on Friday, December 16.