A teenager who showed “absolutely no remorse” for raping three young girls, leaving them all suffering “severe psychological harm” has been locked up for seven years.
Kai Edwards, 18, tried to pressure and force the girls into having sex with him and then ignored them when they asked to stop, Hull Crown Court heard. During the trial, Edwards claimed that there had been a conspiracy against him and that he had done nothing wrong.
The victims, who were not known to each other, met Edwards through separate interactions on social media, David Godfrey, prosecuting, said. One girl told how she had fallen asleep and woke up to him having sex with her, while another claimed he slapped, punched and kicked her as well as calling her nasty names.
The first victim felt pressured into having sex with Edwards but he told her “you’ll be fine” and carried on. “She asked him again to stop and he ignored her,” Mr Godfrey said. The girl later contacted the police.
“It takes real guts and bravery to come forward,” said Mr Godfrey. “Often it’s easier to sweep these things under the carpet.”
The court heard how the attack left the girl “very anxious” and “not wanting to leave the house”. She said: “I felt disgusted at the time. He made me feel so low. I couldn’t live with the fact that he had done that to me. The hardest pill to swallow was that he didn’t care.
“I felt embarrassed and mortified that I had let it happen to me. I was young and naive and he took full advantage of that.”
The second girl claimed Edwards slapped, punched and kicked her as well as calling her nasty names. He sexually abused and raped her. She later said: “I was in utter disbelief and shock. This impacted me so much I couldn’t sleep at night. I still have flashbacks about it. Look at what he has done to my life.
“He has absolutely ruined it. I hope one day to heal from this but I am not in that place yet.”
The third victim, who was repeatedly “pestered” by Edwards, fell asleep and woke up to find him having sex with her, the court heard. The girl later said: “My first sexual experience was being raped. I have never managed to get over what he did to me. This flashback memory controls my life.
“I cry a lot about what happened. I feel disgusted about what Kai did to me. I truly hate him. I don’t believe that he feels any remorse for what he did. I don’t know if I will ever be the same person again.”
Asked if he raped the girls during his defence evidence, Edwards replied: “No, I did not.” When asked if he was violent to one of the girls, he replied: “No, never.”
During the trial, Edwards claimed that there had been a conspiracy against him and that he had done nothing wrong. He had shown no remorse, it was claimed. He had no previous convictions but he had a caution, reports Hull Live.
Charlotte Baines, mitigating, told a sentencing hearing: “The defendant had a trial and the jury found him guilty. The court will be disappointed to see that he has shown no remorse. The offences occurred over a short period of several months. There are three victims and they are obviously serious offences.”
Edwards had shown a “level of immaturity” and he had suffered a difficult upbringing. “There are many different facets affecting this defendant’s level of maturity,” said Miss Baines.
Edwards was sent to a young offenders’ institution for seven years and will have to register as a sex offender for life. He had been on bail during the trial but he was remanded in custody after the guilty verdicts.
Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Lisa Grantham of Humberside Police, who led the investigation, said: “This was a lengthy and complex investigation, and I would like to commend the bravery of all three girls for assisting with our enquiries as we stacked up the evidence against a sexual predator like Edwards.
“It is thanks to their courage and willingness to engage with the court proceedings that led him to be found guilty, and now serving jail time. We take all reports of rape, and other sexual offences, both recent and non-recent, extremely seriously and will continue to seek justice for those who have suffered at the hands of such sordid individuals like Edwards.
“No matter your age or gender, or whether the offences took place yesterday or 30 years ago, we would encourage you to tell someone you trust and when you are ready, report it to the police.
