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Women who sign up to dating sites are not consenting to sex regardless, judge tells Plenty of Fish rapist

Women who sign up to dating sites are not consenting to sex, a judge said as he jailed a man for raping a woman he met on Plenty of Fish.

Aeronautics graduate Scott Lazenby, 27, had exchanged messages with his victim on the popular dating website before arranging to meet her.

But the serial attacker - who was in an "open relationship" with his other partner - attacked the victim, throwing her onto a bed at her home before molesting her and raping her twice, Burnley Crown Court heard.

He was jailed for seven years by Judge Andrew Woolman, who told him that the fact people signed up to the Plenty of Fish website, and may have indicated they are open to sexual encounters, "does not mean that they consent to sex regardless".

Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, told the court that the victim, from Colne, Lancs, said her ordeal had left her depressed and affected the way she treated her young daughter.

Four days earlier, Lazenby had struck at the home of another woman, groping her breast underneath her clothing in front of her young son, while they were on a sofa in her living room.

She protested immediately and had started ringing 999 as Lazenby left the house, the court was told.

This victim, from Ashton-under-Lyne, had also been left traumatised and "stressed" and felt unable to socialise properly for some time afterwards, the court heard.

The court heard both women had been able to meet new partners, who had each been "understanding and supportive" in helping them to overcome their experiences at Lazenby's hands.

Lazenby, of Kidsgrove, Staffs., had denied two offences of rape and one charge each of assault by penetration and sexual assault, in relation to the two incidents but was convicted after a trial.

Michael Hayton, defending, said his client, after completing a degree in aeronautical engineering, had enjoyed a successful related career, which had now "thrown away" by his conduct on the days in question.

Lazenby had an "open relationship" with his partner, who he met through the website. But difficulties had arisen when she had not wanted children.

He had gone back to Plenty of Fish, to seek new partners, "at her behest", said Mr Hayton.

Judge Woolman ordered Lazenby to sign the sex offenders register for life and imposed a 13-year sexual harm prevention order, banning him from logging on to dating websites.