Raped While I Slept

Grieving teen preyed on by so-called mate .Disgusted, confused, betrayed . He lied and lied to save his skin.

- Angela Johnson/Kristy Dawson

Angel Rogerson, 21,

Newton Aycliffe, County Durham

Let’s go out,’ my mate

Carly suggested. It was the start of the

Easter weekend, April 2015, and I was feeling down.

Just two days earlier, I’d buried my beloved nan Elizabeth, who’d died from cancer.

Needing cheering up, Carly and I headed to our local, the DL5 Sports & Lounge Bar, where we bumped into friendly faces from our neighbourhood.

We sat with the Hodgson family, including two sisters, their brother Dougie, then 28, and their mum.

I’d visited their house before, hung out with them.

We all chatted until 11pm, when the barman called time.

‘Come back to ours,’ one of the sisters invited me.

So I texted my mum Michelle, 44, to let her know.

Sleepover

Dougie was full of banter, and we all had a laugh. 

We were just mates on Facebook. Only, he was flirty. But he was nine years older than me and not my type.

Happily single, I was focused on my studies in Hair and Beauty at Bishop Auckland College.

About 2am, Dougie went to bed – and, an hour or so later, everyone was tired.

‘It’s late. Don’t walk home, stay over,’ Dougie’s mum offered. 

Only, five other girls were crashing in the Hodgson sisters’ rooms.

‘There are two separate blankets in Dougie’s room,’ she added, saying goodnight.

I hesitated. But I agreed it’d be dangerous to walk home.

Entering Dougie’s bedroom in the dark, I kicked off my shoes.