Winchester Crown Court: 'Sex addict' from Newbury convicted of rape

A SELF-described “sex addict” is in custody after being convicted of raping a woman.

Jurors took less than nine hours to unanimously convict Christopher Robert Hunt, who used to work in the Vodafone shop in Northbrook Street, Newbury.

They returned the verdict yesterday morning (Wednesday).

The 29-year-old, formerly of Stroud Green, is said to have pinned his victim down, grasping her wrists while she pleaded with him to stop as he raped her.

David Richards, opening the prosecution case at Winchester Crown Court in Hampshire on Tuesday, told the jury of 10 women and two men that Hunt, who now lives in Moore Crescent, Netley Abbey, Hampshire, “held both her wrists with one hand” in order to violate his victim.

He added: “It wasn’t loving; she wasn’t involved, save as a receptacle.

“He didn’t react to her pleas for him to stop.”

Parveen Mansoor, defending, had told jurors: “Rape is always a very emotive subject – but there are always two sides to a story.

“This isn’t a court of morals.

“Rape is an easy allegation to make but it’s very difficult to dispute.

“It’s one person’s word against another’s, essentially.”

Referring to the complainant, she urged jurors to ask themselves: “How reliable, how credible, how honest is she?”

Ms Mansoor added: “We, the defence, say she is not.”

She suggested the woman had been “selective” in which text messages between her and Mr Hunt she had shown police.

Jurors cleared Hunt of two other charges of rape after hearing that text messaging between Hunt and the alleged victim was indicative of sex games involving power play between the parties.

Nevertheless, she said Hunt insisted that the first count involved an offence “which never happened”, while the other charges related to consensual sex.

The alarm was raised over the offence of which Hunt was convicted when the woman told medical staff what had happened during an unrelated hospital visit, the court heard.

Upon his arrest Hunt gave a “no comment” interview to police.

However, Mr Richards told jurors they would hear how Hunt had confessed to others while being recorded, but blamed his behaviour on “sex addiction” and a penchant for pornography.

He said Hunt was recorded saying: “I was focussed on what I wanted. It was a really strong urge.

“It was exhilarating at the time. I let the addiction take control.”

Following the verdicts the judge ordered pre-sentence reports.

Hunt was meanwhile denied bail and was remanded into custody.