#AceNewsReport – Mar.12: Michael Paul Benfell was found guilty by a jury last year of two counts of rape and one count of aggravated serious criminal trespass on April 10, 2018: #AceNewsDesk report

Michael Paul Benfell jailed for at least 12 years for twice raping sleeping woman in her Parkside home: ‘The 26-year-old walked into the house through an unlocked back door and waited in a different room before getting into bed with the sleeping woman and raping her’

ABC News: Posted 5h ago

The District Court previously heard the bedroom was pitch black and the victim initially thought it was her boyfriend who had returned because she was “still very much in the process of waking up” when she was attacked.

At the time, Benfell was on parole for serious criminal trespass offences and the court heard he had been on a “methamphetamine bender”.

Judge Paul Slattery said Benfell had caused “irreparable pain” to the victim, her housemates, friends and family.

“You went to their home, you waited in the dark until the victim went to bed, after a sufficient time had elapsed you went into her room and raped her in the most egregious and humiliating way,” he said.

“You violated the sanctity and safety of the home.

“Your actions have had a profound and lasting effect on their lives.

“I think it’s impossible to completely describe the terror, pain, humiliation or effect that has followed as a result of your actions.”

Judge Slattery said Benfell had previously been convicted of serious criminal trespass and had a moderate to high risk of re-offending.

Benfell was sentenced to 15 years in prison with a non-parole period of 12 years. 

Benfell has previously apologised in court for lying and his behaviour. 

He told the court he would not appeal the guilty conviction.

“More importantly, I’d like to apologise for the pain and hardship I’ve caused,” he said during sentencing submissions.

“There’s no amount of apologising that I can do to fix the damage that I’ve done.

“I don’t deserve your forgiveness, I don’t even deserve your pity.”

Benfell’s sentence was backdated to December last year. 

#AceNewsDesk report ………..Published: Mar.12: 2021:

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