The victim was commended in court for her bravery
Rapist Toby Snow was locked up for 11 years(Image: Grimsby Live)
A drunken rapist subjected a woman to “a sustained and horrendous” attack, a court heard. The victim described him as “a monster” who tied her up and repeatedly raped her.
The “terrified” woman feared that he would kill her during an “utterly chilling” confrontation in the early hours of the morning. She “made it crystal clear” that she did not want to have sex with him but “he did not care” and repeatedly raped her.
Toby Snow, 28, denied offences of rape and assault by penetration on March 8 but he was convicted by a jury at Hull Crown Court after a trial. He was cleared of intentional strangulation. The verdicts followed deliberations of three hours and 28 minutes.
During the trial, Dale Brook, prosecuting, said that Snow was drunk from a night out when he targeted the woman. “He lost control of himself,” said Mr Brook.
“He attacked her in a sustained and terrifying manner. He started by apologising to her for what he was going to do before grabbing her by the throat and trying to gag her. “He eventually succeeded in gagging her despite her determined efforts to fight him off.” His actions were “utterly chilling” and she was “utterly terrified” by what he was doing.
“He then proceeded to rape her,” said Mr Brook. “Her ordeal went on for what seemed like a long time. She thought he was going to kill her.
“She was terrified. It was an act of manipulation and control. She thought that he might actually kill her. “She made it crystal clear throughout that, what was happening to her, she did not want it and she was not consenting. There is no ambiguity about it.
“She told him again and again but he did not care and he raped her repeatedly to satisfy his sexual urge and, no doubt, to demonstrate his power over her while she was pulling away from him.” Snow took her mobile phone so that she could not immediately report the matter, but he eventually gave her it back.
“She was confused and scared and did not immediately call the police but she did not wait long.” The woman alerted the police the next day after telling a work colleague and others what had happened to her.
“She told them what she had endured,” said Mr Brook. Snow was arrested. During police interview, he accepted that he and the woman had sex but he claimed that it was consensual.
In her victim impact statement she said giving evidence at the trial was “the worst day of my life” and she said it had “brought back the trauma of the day.” She still suffers night terrors. “I will always be questioning why it happened,” she said.
There was degradation and humiliation in the attack, said the prosecutor. Defence barrister Craig Lowe said references on his client’s behalf showed it was “out of character.” References described him as “caring and having a strong work ethic.” He had no previous convictions. He said his client’s father had died in 2024.
During a sentencing hearing at Grimsby Crown Court, Judge Richard Woolfall said: “It was an horrendous ordeal. It was a sustained incident.” He said: “She (the victim) described you as a monster.” The judge added Snow “was still in denial.”
He jailed Snow, of Scunthorpe, for 11 years and imposed an extended sentence of a further four years on licence due to the risk of further offending.
He said Snow will serve two thirds in prison before being considered for release by The Parole Board. He ordered him to be on the Sex Offender Register for life.
Judge Woolfall commended the victim for her bravery as she sat in court surrounded by her supportive family. “I commend you for your bravery and coming forward and continuing to come forward. I hope it (the sentence) will bring some comfort and enable you to move on and for your family. You are victims as well,” he said.
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