Walsall man jailed for raping woman after night out
A Walsall man has been jailed after raping a woman at his home following a night out in Birmingham.
Duane Dowling went on a night out in Birmingham with friends in September 2018. It was when the group went back to his house the rape occurred.
The woman, known to Dowling, reported the crime to police shortly after, saying she did not consent to sex with him.
A forensic examination found his DNA on her.
Despite denying the offence, he was charged with rape and, following a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court, was jailed for five and a half years last week.
The 31-year-old, from Bridge Street, Brownhills, has also been put on the sex offenders register for life and giving a seven-year restraining order.
Detective Constable Tom Keady of West Midlands Police said: “This was a horrendous ordeal for the woman to go through, she reported it to us and we were able to support her throughout our investigation.
“She has shown tremendous courage as she has had to wait a long time for the case to get to court due to Covid challenges."
He added: “I hope this conviction demonstrates that we take all reports seriously, and allegations will be thoroughly investigated.
“We have specialist officers who are trained to deal expertly and sensitively with such cases and we would urge anyone who has been a victim of rape or sexual assault to contact us.”
For information and guidance on how to report rape or sexual assault, or to find support, please visit https://www.west-midlands.police.uk/your-options/rape.
