Rapist caught after sending victim a chilling Facebook message years on from sickening attack | The Sun

A RAPIST contacted a women he attacked while she was unconscious years later with a chilling message seeking "closure".

Nathan Thorburn, 25, pounced on the woman at her student accommodation in Cardiff in 2019 – leaving her "in pain and wanting to scream".

Thorburn gave a vague apology to the victim the following day but did not mention the details of what had happened, Wales Online reports.

In the years following the events of that night, the culprit sent a message on Facebook – hoping to "get closure" for the crime he committed.

Refusing to "massage his ego", the victim rebuffed his approach, saying: "You and I both know what you did to me.

"You are a rapist."

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Cardiff Crown Court heard the Thorburn offered to help the victim get to bed after a night out.

Falling in and out of consciousness, the victim believed the defendant to be her boyfriend.

Prosecutor James Wilson revealed the victim was confused about what was happening to her, and at times managed to "whimper" to Thorburn to stop.

The victim was said to have felt "defiled" and "like a corpse" during the assault.

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Thorburn was sent to prison in 2019 for an unrelated matter – and contacted his victim upon release in 2022.

He wrote: "Hey. Can we talk? I wanted to talk about the situation about me and you before I went to prison.

"I think I knew what I did was wrong and I want some sort of closure I guess.

"I think it's good to talk about these things with that person to be sure about this.

"Things have been going on in my mind for a long time that I want to put to rest."

Refusing to engage, the victim replied: "You want to get closure for assaulting me when I was drunk, passed out, and vulnerable and put me to bed.

"I will never get closure. For me it will last a lifetime."

Thorburn admitted to raping the victim during the text exchange, which he then assembled and sent to a sexual assault referral service.

The document was subsequently received by the defendant's offender manager who visited him on June 13 last year.

After being arrested, Thorburn pleaded guilty to rape.

In a statement read aloud at the sentencing hearing in Cardiff Crown Court, the victim said: "I feel Nathan has taken control of the situation for three years.

"I feel now I want to be in control. What has happened to me has a lifelong effect.

"If Nathan is sent to prison for this he won't suffer for a lifetime like I have to.

"Nathan choosing to rape me is a lifelong scab I will pick at forever and forever.

"I was a trusting and caring person; I was soft and gentle in my approach to people and life.

"Because of what he's done to me I have turned to someone who is hardened. I can't feel emotions towards people.

"It breaks my heart because this isn't me.

"I can't trust anyone anymore. It's exhausting and draining to feel like this – constantly having my guard up.

"I am a broken shell of the woman I once was and woman I was going to be."

Thorburn was handed a 13-year extended sentence and added to the sex offender's register for life.

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