Failed Ilkeston soldier 'with gun fascination' handed 25-year jail term for rape

A former soldier who has “a fascination with guns” and who raped a woman has been handed a 25-year sentence. Derby Crown Court heard how David Poppitt left a shotgun in sight while he carried out one sex attack on the victim.

In an impact statement, she told how “the nightmare” of what happened to her “will always be there”. The 39-year-old held a standoff with armed police when they went to arrest him in March of this year. He later denied what he did to the woman meaning she had to relive her ordeal at a trial.

And, after being found guilty, he could not even pluck up the courage to leave his cell and find out his fate at this week’s sentencing hearing.

Sending him to prison, Judge Martin Hurst said: “David Poppitt does not accept any wrongdoing, blaming others and even telling a member of the (probation’s) liaison and diversion team that he suffers PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) as a result of not, I repeat not, being deployed to Afghanistan when he was not deployed because he was discharged from the army for drunken behaviour and drug abuse.

“(In my opinion) David Poppitt does pose a significant risk of committing further specified offences. I find he has a fascination with guns, running in and out of (his) house holding them while under the influence of ketamine. He has a total lack of insight into his behaviour.”

Siward James-Moore, prosecuting, described to the court two occasions where Poppitt, of Mapperley, near Ilkeston, raped the woman. He said: “He pinned her down on a sofa putting her face down, removed her clothing and raped her.

“He had spent a short time serving in the army and had an obsession with firearms. In her victim impact statement she said ‘a shotgun was lying there on the floor on the first time he sexually violated me’.

“She said ‘the nightmare will always be there and I doubt I will ever be able to recover’.” After hearing all of the evidence, a jury found Poppitt, of Lodge Row, guilty to rape. He refused to appear at court either in person or on the video-link for his sentencing hearing.

Gregor Purcell, mitigating, said the thrust of his mitigation was solely down to the length of sentence. He said: “In terms of risk, he has previous convictions for matters of violence nothing similar to this.”

As well as the jail term, the judge placed Poppitt on the sex offender register for life.