A man has been charged with raping a woman several times after finding her on a dating website.
Mark Grout was bailed by a court in Hastings yesterday (Wednesday 5 May) after being accused of going to the woman’s home in a village to the north of Hastings.
Sussex Police said that he had exchanged messages with her on a dating website and he arranged to meet her at her East Sussex home.
There, he attacked her and raped her several times before she was able to escape.
The force said: “Police in Rother have charged a man with seven counts of rape after a woman reported being attacked in her home.
“In October 2021, a woman in her forties reported meeting a man at her home after they exchanged messages on a dating website.
“Once inside the property, he was reported to have raped several times on the night of Saturday 9 October 2021 before she was able to escape.
“Police were informed and she was supported by specialist officers and our community partners while an investigation was launched.
“Mark Grout, 49, of Leylands Lane, in Stanwell Moor, Surrey, was arrested and subsequently charged with seven counts of rape and one count of assault by penetration.
“At Hastings Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 5 June, he was released on court bail with strict conditions to appear at a court to be confirmed on Friday 5 July.”
Detective Constable Mark Smith, from Hastings Safeguarding Investigations Unit, said: “I would like to thank the victim in this investigation for coming forward and supporting our inquiries.
“If you are a victim of a sexual offence, please report it to the police. We will listen to you, we will support you and we will do all we can to get you justice.”
