Kevin Knox, 33, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after a dramatic turn of events led to his arrest. Knox, who had previously raped a woman by spiking her drink with sleeping tablets, found himself undone by his victim’s resourcefulness during a second encounter.
Knox first assaulted the woman months earlier when he spiked her drink with sleeping tablets, rendering her incapacitated and unable to resist. He raped her while she lay in her bed, unable to fend him off.
In August of the following year, Knox attempted to repeat his crime after meeting the woman again through an escort website. This time, he promised to pay £1,750 but had no intention of doing so. He again spiked her drink with sleeping tablets, planning to render her unconscious.
However, the woman was prepared. Recognizing Knox, she swapped their drinks so that he consumed the drugged beverage. Prosecutor Gareth Roberts explained, “In a strange turn of events, he ended up essentially drugging himself.”
As Knox showed signs of being affected by the drugs, the woman drove him to a petrol station. Knox returned to her flat, broke in through a window, and took a knife from the kitchen. Police later found him wandering in a communal area, disoriented and carrying the knife. The same drug used on his victim was detected in his system.
Knox’s defence attorney, Simon Christie, presented character references claiming Knox was a respectable family man and hard worker. Despite these claims, Knox’s criminal record includes four prior convictions for eight offences, including burglary. In 2016, he was subject to a sexual risk order due to exploitative behaviour towards adolescents and young females.
Judge Ian Harris condemned Knox’s actions, stating, “You never intended to pay her anything. You spiked her drink and used violence to force intercourse. The testimonials may portray you as honest and trustworthy, but my observations do not align with that image.”
Knox was sentenced to 12 years in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender for life.
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