A 22-year-old man has been handed a five-year prison sentence after being convicted of sexually assaulting a woman at her own address.

Jordan Osbourne, who resides in Parkwood in Iden, close to Rye, was detained in February 2022 following a complaint from an 18-year-old woman.

The complainant told police that Osbourne, whom she had permitted to stay overnight on her living room settee, pursued her into her bedroom and sexually assaulted her during the early hours of January 3, 2022.

The victim received support from trained officers while detectives pursued their enquiries. Officers subsequently placed Osbourne under arrest and into custody.

He faced formal rape allegations, and on Friday, March 6, following a four-day hearing at Brighton Crown Court, jurors returned a conviction.

At Hove court on March 20, the defendant was handed the custodial term alongside a decade-long injunction designed to safeguard the complainant.

Detective Constable Cally Fox stated that the victim’s trust had been cruelly abused, noting the considerable bravery required to report such incidents and the devastating impact of sexual crimes. She expressed gratitude to the complainant for her throughout the legal process.

She added that anyone experiencing sexual offending should contact police through online channels or by phoning 101, while always using 999 for emergencies. Officers would provide assistance and work to achieve justice for victims.

Support services operating in Sussex encompass Survivors Network, offering emotional and practical help, the Life Centre, providing trauma-informed therapeutic and counselling support, Mankind, delivering assistance specifically tailored to male victim-survivors, and Veritas Justice, offering independent guidance for those experiencing stalking.