Student Accused of Dream Rape

Norwich Crown Court is currently hearing the case of Connor Yaxley, a 30-year-old former film studies student at the University of Suffolk, who faces multiple charges of rape and sexual assault against three women. Yaxley has claimed that the sexual encounters occurred while he was dreaming, a defense that has raised eyebrows during the proceedings. The allegations involve two women who reported being assaulted while they were asleep, with one woman stating that Yaxley had sex with her four times under similar circumstances. During her testimony, one of the alleged victims recounted waking up to find Yaxley engaging in sexual acts with her, despite having previously communicated her lack of consent. She described her experience of waking from a deep sleep and struggling to comprehend the situation. Under cross-examination, she was questioned about whether she accepted Yaxley’s explanation that the acts occurred while he was asleep, highlighting the complexities of consent in such scenarios. The prosecution emphasized that consent must be given freely and with the capacity to make that choice, asserting that a sleeping individual cannot provide consent. Yaxley is also accused of sexually assaulting a third woman while she was asleep in a chair at his home. He denies all charges, which include three counts of rape against the first woman, two counts against the second, and the assault of the third. The trial continues, with the identities of the women protected for legal reasons.