Brave student’s vow after waking to find sex beast on top of her

Steven Foster, 34, of Hornby Road, Blackpool, climbed into the woman’s ground floor room through her window.

The 21-year-old awoke in the early hours of September 29 to find the semi-naked attacker had yanked down her duvet and was kneeling over her, threatening to rape her if she screamed.

As she edged away from him she saw his fly was undone and he was exposing himself, Preston Crown Court heard.

After threatening to kill her, he fled with her tablet, phone and a pair of her knickers.
The brave victim attended court with her mum and friend to watch Foster jailed for an extended term of 13 years – meaning he won’t be released until a parole board deems he isn’t a threat.

Judge Christopher Cornwall, told him: “You have deprived a lively and fun loving student of all her self confidence – it is hardly surprising.

“She has contemplated taking desperate steps, so low had you brought her. She contemplated leaving her course which she had wanted to do all her life.

“But through her own strength of character, and assisted by her family she has resolved she will not allow you to ruin her life over and above the extent to which you have already.”

The 21-year-old science student had contemplated taking her own life.

But the defiant young woman revealed she has refused to move from her accommodation, and is completing her course.

The Blackpool and Fylde College student said: “I had come home from a fresher party at Walkabout.

“It was the early hours and I awoke to find this man over the top of me as I lay in bed. I was in complete shock.

“ He threatened to rape me and swore at me. I asked him who he was and how he got in.

“I moved away from him and could see his fly was open.

“He threatened to kill me.

“People said to me afterwards why didn’t I move, or swap rooms? But I won’t let him win. I’m relieved he is off the streets for such a long time.”

Prosecuting, Tom Lord revealed in 2006, Foster was convicted of a brutal stranger rape on a lone woman in Barrow.

He added: “After the Blackpool incident, a search of his address found he had three pairs of ladies underwear – one pair of which was the victim’s.”
The victim has suffered anxiety and now never wants to be alone, and says she has to sleep with the light on. She has been having counselling and had thought about taking her life.

The court heard the defendant said he had been drinking before seeing a ground floor window open.

He insisted he had no idea anyone was in bed in the room and denied her version of events.

But he later admitted attempted rape, trespass with intent to commit a sex offence, and burglary.