RAPE SURVIVOR Seven years isn't the life sentence he has given me

Victim urges women to 'trust system' as attacker is jailed

- SALLY HIND

A RAPE victim says she is enduring a life sentence after a work colleague was jailed for seven years for attacking her.

Sarah, who only wants to be known by her first name, was raped in her own home by Edward Lochrie after his own leaving party.

After refusing to leave her home, married Lochrie, 40, subjected her to a terrifying sexual assault then tried to cover his tracks in a series of frantic messages to the victim and her colleagues.

Last week, Lochrie was jailed and Sarah said she would remain traumatised for life but urged other women to seek justice.

She told the Record: "Seven years isn't the life sentence he has given me but it's a strong powerful second.

"The judge identified his behaviour was predatory, that he manipulated, that he has shown no empathy or remorse for his actions.

"To have the severity of what happened to me acknowledged goes some way to concluding this chapter.

"I can't change what happened, nor will I ever be able to forget, but I can move forward knowing I did everything in my power to ensure truth prevailed.