A pervert who raped a vulnerable young woman in a twisted "revenge attack" on the residential home where she lived has failed in his Appeal Court bid to have his life sentence reduced.

Raymond Hatter, of Milton Keynes, left the "intensely fragile" disabled woman in a profoundly distressed state after the "terrible ordeal" in which he broke into her room at the home in north Essex, violently raping her.

Mr Justice Treacy said Hatter was disturbed by two women carers responding to an alarm call. When they appeared, they were exposed to the "horrific scene" of the woman's ordeal.

Hatter then turned on them, punching one and slamming another against the wall. Although both managed to bundle him from the room, the struggle continued amid deepening hysteria as the carers barricaded themselves inside the room.

Hatter's counsel, Andrew Jefferies, said the "terrible offence" was motivated by his client's wish to revenge himself against the home, where he had worked until he was sacked for dishonesty.

Mr Justice Treacy said such motivation suggested he still represented a grave risk to the public.

Hatter, 20, was detained for life at Chelmsford Crown Court in February after admitting rape, two counts of burglary and two counts of assault. He also admitted aggravated vehicle taking.

Mr Justice Treacy, sitting with Lord Justice Judge and Mrs Justice Hallett, refused to alter the life sentence, which he said was appropriate in view of the "horrifying nature" of the episode.

But he reduced from seven years to six the "tariff" imposed by the trial judge the minimum period which Hatter must serve before being considered for release on parole.

Published Thursday June 17, 2004

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