Cape Town - An Athlone man who confessed to raping a 63-year-old mentally ill grandmother has been sentenced to 23 years behind bars by the Wynberg Regional Court.
Less than nine months after police went on the hunt for Raymond Matthews, 36, he openly confessed to targeting the woman while her family was away.
Earlier this year, the family revealed the shocking details of the attack after Matthews abandoned his bail application.
They explained that the elderly woman was diagnosed with schizophrenia and suffered a mental breakdown several years ago.
The family gave him a place to stay as he needed help.
On February 27, her sister left the home in Hazendal at 5.30am, when Matthews entered the room and raped her.
He also threatened to kill her if she told the family.
After medical checks confirmed the rape, a criminal case was opened, but Matthews went on the run and was later arrested.
Protesters from the Calls Foundation in Bridgetown protested outside court and wrote a letter to the magistrate, asking that Matthews not be granted bail.
A relative said they returned to court last week, as Matthews told the court he was sorry for what he had done.
“He appeared on November 20 and the magistrate gave him 23 years.
“She said he could have gotten life but as he admitted to the crime and showed remorse, he was given a lesser sentence.
“As they read out his criminal record, we were shocked to learn that a murder he allegedly committed several years ago was not read out.
“He is a known drug user and at one point sold drugs and was convicted for that. He also has a case of sexual assault involving a small girl.
“When it came to the murder, we know he spent nine months in jail but was not prosecuted because the eye witness refused to give a statement to the police where he stabbed a man to death with a screw driver.”
The relative said the granny was happy with the ouctome and suffered from sleepless nights as she feared he would return.
“She has had nightmares because he threatened to kill her if she told us. She is happy with the outcome and can now feel safe again.
“We remain shocked and disgusted that he could do this to a woman who looked after and cared for him like a mother.”
Caroline Peters of the Callas Foundation said: “We welcome the court’s decision to sentence Raymond Matthews to 23 years for his heinous crime. This judgment affirms that justice can be served, offering a measure of solace to the survivor and her family.
“We commend the survivor’s bravery in coming forward and the family’s swift action, which ensured accountability. As the Callas Foundation, we remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting survivors of gender-based violence and advocating for a society where such acts are met with zero tolerance.”
Cape Argus