Woman speaks of “terrifying ordeal” as sexual predator is jailed

A woman has spoken about the terrifying ordeal of waking up in her home to find a stranger next to her bed asking for sex.

In the early hours of Sunday 12 June last year, a woman was asleep in her bed when she was suddenly woken to her bedroom door opening.

Seconds later, Mark Maddock, who was wearing only his underwear and a pair of ladies’ tights, was trying to get into the bed saying he wanted to have sex with her.

He quickly fled the house after the woman screamed and kicked out at him.

She immediately called the police and after recognising him as someone who lived in Enderby village, as well as being provided with his name by her ex-partner, Maddock was arrested at his address a short time after.

Maddock made a comment about apologising to the woman to the arresting officer but provided little further comment in interview. He also declined to answer questions about CCTV, which showed a man matching his description running away from the victim’s address at the same time as the incident.

Maddock, 46, of Coleridge Drive, Enderby was charged with trespass with intent to commit a relevant sexual offence and stood trial at Leicester Crown Court in February after pleading not guilty.

During the trial, the court heard that Maddock admitted entering the house at around 10pm when the victim was in the lounge before creeping upstairs and hiding under a bed in another room. The victim went to bed in the early hours and shortly after Maddock crawled into the victim’s bedroom as she slept.

The victim later recalled that she noticed her bed sheets had been moved before she got into bed and that some of her underwear had been removed from the laundry and left on the stairs.

Her underwear was forensically examined and found to have Maddock’s semen on it. In court, Maddock claimed he had taken the underwear from her washing line before masturbating on it and placing it back in the house. But officers could find no further evidence to support this and believe he carried out this act when he was in the house that evening.

He also admitted in court to watching the victim’s house over a period of months knowing her movements of when she was in and out and when confirming he was on the CCTV running away from the house, he was carrying a blindfold and pair of handcuffs inside a plastic carrier bag.

He was sentenced today (Monday 3 April) at the same court to five years in prison and was also issued with a 10-year restraining order against his victim.

The victim said speaking of her ordeal: “On the morning of 12 June, my life and feelings of security within my own home changed massively. I honestly believed his actions and that he was going to rape me.

“I cannot explain the fear I felt in opening my eyes in my own bed to see him stood in front of me, dressed and acting in that way. I was in complete shock immediately afterwards, and at that moment, the defendant had left the house, I have never felt so alone and vulnerable in my life.

“Upon returning to the house after the police investigation, I felt very anxious and scared to be there. I was constantly checking the doors were locked, checking the rooms, and wardrobes as well as the garden. I don’t like to go to sleep because I worry that when I open my eyes again the defendant or even someone else could be stood at the side of my bed like the night of the incident. I feel like I sleep with one eye open now just in case.”

She added: “There have been times that I have felt angry and have really questioned why the defendant choose me to do this to. I will probably never know but that doesn’t change the feeling of anger I have.

“The anxiety and impact on my mental health has been significant and my home, privacy and safety have been completely violated. I don’t know if I will ever feel completely safe again.”

Detective Constable Stacey Jones, the investigating officer, said: “I can only imagine what a terrifying ordeal the victim went through on that night and the effects she continues to suffer from.

“She lives in constant fear knowing that Maddock had been in her house for some time before he approached her and upset that he had been among her personal possessions.

“Had she not been strong enough to kick out at him, this incident may well have had a very different outcome.

“When we searched Maddock’s house, we found a number of bags containing women’s underwear which he claimed he had bought from a charity shop. This may well be the case, but given the calculated and thought-out manner in which he deliberately targeted this woman, there could be a possibility that perhaps Maddock did this to others and entered the homes of other lone women challenging them in similar circumstances. Maybe these women did not feel, for whatever reason, they could not report this at the time but now is your opportunity to do that. If you have been approached by this man in your home, please report this to us. We have specialist officers who can support you throughout that process.”

These remarks were echoed by the judge who, at today’s sentencing, said: “The fact is this must be everyone women’s nightmare. To wake up, in what should be the safety of their own bedroom, to find a sexual predator standing a few feet away.

“The victim has been grievously affected by your behaviour - seeing you in her room dressed as you were, she naturally assumed you intended to rape her. In the immediate aftermath of your departure she said she had never felt so alone and vulnerable. She now feels unsafe in her own home - you have robbed her of her peace of mind.”

DC Jones added: “Maddock is clearly a dangerous individual and I am pleased that the jury saw through his denial and he will be serving a prison sentence for his crime. I just hope this gives the victim some justice to help her try to put what happened behind her and feel that she can live safely in her own home again.”