Stockton rapist who faked WhatsApp messages to his victim jailed

A “manipulative” rapist who fabricated news stories to portray his victim as a liar has been sentenced to ten years in prison.

Josh McDougal, 32, from Stockton, raped an 18-year-old woman in his home in July 2020, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

After being found guilty in a trial last year, he created fake WhatsApp posts in which the victim appeared to admit to lying about the attack.

McDougal admitted obstructing justice by telling police that voices in his head told him to write the false messages.

Prosecutor Paul Cleasby said McDougal invited the woman to his home to smoke cannabis in a safe place where she would not be “harassed by scary men”.

He then raped her, despite her repeated protests for him to stop, Cleasby said.

McDougal had denied rape, but jurors unanimously found him guilty after a five-day trial in August 2023.

In November last year, while awaiting sentencing, he called 999 to report that three masked men had broken into his home and demanded that he hand over an envelope containing printed WhatsApp messages.

McDougal told police the envelope was pushed through his door and contained messages between his victim and another person in which she admitted to lying about the rape.

Mr Cleasby said “no evidence of robbery was found” and the detective who investigated the rape recognised McDougal’s writing style in the alleged posts.

McDougal admitted to creating the messages himself on his mother’s laptop and told police he heard “voices in his head taking control of him.”

In a statement, the woman said the rape had left her “scarred for life” and that McDougal’s “selfish” attempt to “turn the tables” had made her a victim again.

She said he was a “dangerous and manipulative man” and she hoped he would now have the “decency” to leave her alone.

McDougal, of Newton Walk, who represented himself in the rape suit, said the spontaneous sex was consensual and disputed the woman’s statements about the impact it had on her.

Judge Stephen Earl warned McDougal, who was connected via video link from prison, that “blaming the victim” was probably not the best way to mitigate the sentence, prompting the rapist to apologize.

In mitigation in the perversion of justice case, Sarah Lish said McDougal had been taking morphine at the time after being seriously injured in an accident and the drug had been blamed for his “psychosis”.

Judge Earl said McDougal’s offending was “extremely predatory in nature” and he was “incapable of any form of empathy” towards the woman.

The judge said the rape was “of such a cruel nature and of such a young and vulnerable person” and that McDougal was “exactly the type” of “creepy” man he allegedly wanted to protect the woman from.

The judge described McDougal’s “bizarre” attempt to conjure up evidence to discredit the woman as “appalling”.

In addition, a temporary restraining order was issued prohibiting McDougal from having any contact with the woman or mentioning her on social media.