Convicted of rape and sexual assault of a woman.

An immature young farmer has been sentenced to six years in prison for the rape and sexual assault of a woman.

Durham Crown Court heard that Karl Richard Gibson, then 19, committed the acts despite the victim's protests.

Gibson maintained his innocence throughout his trial in late October, but was found guilty. He was sentenced to five years for rape and an additional 12 months for one of two sexual assaults. He appeared in court via video link from Durham Prison on Wednesday, December 23rd for sentencing.

The victim's impact statement, read by prosecutor David Brooke, described the lasting impact of the assaults. She said she felt worthless and had suffered anxiety attacks and flashbacks since the incidents. The statement also mentioned self-harm and the need for psychiatric treatment.

Gibson's defense attorney, Paul Reid, claimed the defendant and his family "utterly reject" the victim's claims and that blaming her psychiatric difficulties on Gibson was "completely unjustified."

Reid argued that Gibson was only 19 at the time of the offenses and that if he had been a couple of years younger, the case would have been dealt with under different sentencing guidelines. He described Gibson as a "boy" who spends his time farming with his cows.

"This is one of the most tragic cases I have been involved with in a quarter of a century doing sex cases," Reid said, adding that Gibson's family was in hysterics after his conviction and couldn't understand what was happening as he was taken to prison.

Reid urged Recorder Tim Roberts to impose the least possible sentence within the guidelines. However, Roberts stated that the offences were "borne out of immaturity, lack of thought, and inability to think things through in a considered manner."

Gibson was also issued a ten-year restraining order prohibiting him from contacting the victim and will be required to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

Gibson, of Marshes Gill Farm, Harwood-in-Teesdale, County Durham, is currently serving his sentence.