A woman helped bring her rapist to justice by secretly recording him admitting his horrific crimes and obtaining screenshots of messages showing his guilt.
With the help of the crucial evidence, Alexander Henry Coupland, 25, was finally jailed for eight years last week (February 1), CheshireLive reports.
Following his conviction, the brave victim has spoken about her ordeal at the hands of Coupland, who was convicted for rape, assault by penetration and causing her to engage in sexual activity without consent.
The sentencing marked the end of a three-year pursuit of justice for the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
Coupland from Macclesfield, was initially tried in 2018 but a gas leak at the court meant the trial was adjourned.
A jury had been unable to reach a verdict during the second trial, but this week his victim welcomed his sentencing.
And she was hailed by the Crown Prosecution Service for having secured vital evidence that helped to ensure he was caged.
She said: "I ended up getting an audio clip of him admitting what he'd done in his voice. I got all this evidence, I had screenshots."
She says the ordeal has changed the way she is able to live her life, making her afraid to leave the house.
She said: “The past three years, I’ve not wanted to come out and I get really bad panic attacks. I don’t like going out when it’s dark. I feel like someone’s following me."
“Obviously it is not over. But it’s a bit of a chapter in my life I can try to get over.”
Although she is glad Coupland will be behind bars for years, she admits she wishes he could have got life in prison, as she will be dealing with the trauma for her whole life.
“No amount of time can make up for what he has done,” she said. “Eight years and six months is a long time for him, but I’ve got to live with this for life so why shouldn’t he?
“It’s taken me this long to come forward for him to still deny it and then show no emotion at the sentencing. I just don’t feel like he knows what he’s done. He showed no remorse – nothing.”
Out on a drive to Alderley Edge , Coupland forced himself upon his victim in the car.
A few days later, she bravely recorded audio of him admitting what he had done and had screenshot messages she was able to hand over to the police.
Jo Lazzari, Head of CPS Mersey Cheshire’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) unit, said: “In a Victim Personal Statement, the victim described how the fear of running into Coupland resulted in her being reluctant to go outside. The Crown Prosecution Service would like to thank her for her bravery in reporting this rape, providing us with the evidence we needed and having the tenacity to bring this case to justice.
“Alex Coupland is a sexual predator who placed the victim in a vulnerable position and exploited her trust. Her actions have, without question, made other young women safe from his offending behaviour and she should feel proud and empowered by this case.
“Her personal statement to the court is heartbreaking – she says she will never feel herself again. I hope that one day this experience and her courage, despite all the odds will make her a stronger version of herself.
“To anyone else who has experienced sexual assault or abuse, please consider trusting us with your story. We are working in every way possible to bring justice to these cases in the timeliest way possible. New laws allow many victims to give their evidence and cross-examination at a much earlier stage of the case to avoid delays. We will continue to work tirelessly to stop sex offenders from evading justice.”
If you or somebody you know has been affected by this story, contact Victim Support for free, confidential advice on 08 08 16 89 111 or visit their website, www.victimsupport.org.uk.
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