Rapist tried to mix woman’s drink for the second time

A rapist’s twisted plan to drug a woman for a second time was uncovered when she quickly “took matters into her own hands.” Kevin Knox had already slipped sleeping pills into his victim’s drink once before.

A court heard how he took advantage of the woman at the time by sexually assaulting her as she lay helpless in her own bed. But when the 33-year-old tried the same sick trick again months later, his victim acted quickly to stop him.

In what the court described as a “strange turn of events”, the woman swapped her drink with Knox’s, leading to the rapist “essentially drugging himself”, the Liverpool Echo reports.

READ MORE: Greater Manchester Police issue new statement amid station protests, while Rochdale MP plans to ‘meet with family’ as anger mounts over disturbing Manchester Airport video

A trial at Liverpool Crown Court heard that Knox raped the woman in August last year before returning to her flat for a second time three months later. He broke into the flat and stole a kitchen knife. Prosecutor Gareth Roberts described the “strange circumstances of the case”. The victim had been “supplementing her income” at the time by working as an escort.

Knox, of Maplewood in Kirkby, Merseyside, first met her as a “potential client” through the website AdultWork. They are said to have “entered into an agreement that he would pay her a sum of money in return for sex”, namely £1,750, but he “had no intention of paying”.

Instead, he laced the woman’s vodka drink with zopiclone, a sleeping pill that was later found in her system, leaving her feeling “extremely dazed” and “virtually incapacitated” before he “violently” raped her in her own bed. Knox is then alleged to have stolen her bank cards before leaving, although he was later acquitted of related charges.

Then, in November, he contacted her again and “asked if he could pay for her services,” using a different phone number and the fake name “Danny.” However, she recognized him when he later visited her apartment again and “decided to take matters into his own hands.”

Knox poured two more drinks, but she switched the glasses without his knowledge. He then “showed signs of being under the influence of drugs” and was subsequently dropped off by the woman at a gas station.

However, he returned to her now-empty apartment one more time and smashed a window to gain entry before stealing a knife from the kitchen. Police officers then arrived at the scene to find Knox “wandering around a common area” and “staggering around” with the weapon.

After his arrest, zopiclone was also found in his body. After the first incident, swabs taken from the plaintiff also revealed traces of his semen.

Mr Roberts told jurors: “The prosecution say he went to the home of an escort in August to have sex with her, whether she liked it or not and whether he could pay for it or not. The prosecution say he viewed her as easy prey and went to the same address a few months later with the intention of doing exactly the same thing.”

“This time, events took a strange turn where he essentially drugged himself. He then broke into her house and armed himself with a knife – fortunately the police intervened before he could use it.”

Robert Wyn Jones, appearing for the prosecution yesterday, told the court that Knox had four previous convictions for eight offences, including burglary, but none for sexual offences. However, he was made subject to a sexual endangerment order in 2016 for “sexually exploitative behaviour towards teenagers and young women” and his “inappropriate sexual interests”.

Simon Christie, defending, told the court: “It is notable that his previous convictions are for other reasons. His only prison sentence was in September 2016, when he was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment for a completely different reason.”

“He is in a completely different situation now. He has little experience of the system and is facing a heavy prison sentence. These are serious matters. He is educated. He has worked in bars and warehouses.

“He has the advantage of having a strong family support system. His parents are in court today and others have provided references that describe the defendant’s opposite side – a respectable family man, a hard worker and a person you can rely on.

“The defendant is in relatively poor health. He suffers from depression, ulcers for which he underwent surgery, facial paralysis and kidney stones.”

Knox was found guilty by a jury of three counts of rape and one count of burglary. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison, of which he must serve at least two-thirds before he is eligible for release, and was given two additional years of probation.

In passing sentence, Judge Ian Harris said: “In my opinion, you never intended to pay her anything. You drugged her drink in the manner she alleged and used force to induce her to have sexual intercourse.”

“She was unable to defend herself. She tried to push you away, but you ripped her shorts down and were determined to have sexual intercourse.

“Testimonials say what a great person you are and how honest, trustworthy and helpful you are in your community. From my observation, I don’t think you are honest, helpful or trustworthy.”

A restraining order was also issued against Knox, requiring him to remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.