A man has been jailed for seven years after sexually assaulting and raping his partner while she was asleep.

Daniel Blight, 37, of Swansea, even stopped during the assault to take a selfie photo of himself. The victim, Sarah Jones, only realised the full extent of what had happened when she checked CCTV footage from her house.

Miss Jones waived her legal anonymity to speak about the attack, which took place at her home in Aberdare in August 2022. After falling asleep on the sofa, Blight took the opportunity to assault and rape her, taking an intimate selfie as he did so.

When Miss Jones awoke, she was unaware of what had happened. Later, she saw the selfie on Blight's phone and realized something was wrong. The next day, she checked footage from her Hive CCTV camera, which showed the assault.

"I couldn't believe what I was watching," Miss Jones said. "This was somebody I trusted. I was asleep in my own home. I should have been safe. It was such a massive abuse of trust."

Miss Jones confronted Blight about the incident, but he initially denied it, claiming she was awake. He later admitted to knowing she was asleep.

The pair briefly resumed their relationship at the end of 2022, but Miss Jones ended it for good after another incident. She then reported the assault to the police.

Blight pleaded not guilty at trial, claiming he believed he had implied consent. However, the jury convicted him of two counts of sexual assault by penetration and one count of rape.

In mitigation, Blight's lawyer described the case as "truly bizarre" and said his client had been a "crass idiot" to act in the way he did.

Judge Huw Rees said Blight had a "preoccupation" with sex which was a "predominant factor" in his life.

Blight was sentenced to seven years in prison, with a 10-year restraining order banning him from contacting Miss Jones.

Miss Jones said the rape has had a massive impact on her life, affecting her trust in everyone and causing anxiety and vulnerability.

"What happened will stay with me for a long time - perhaps for the rest of my life," she said. "Hopefully with the conviction I can begin to move on."

South Wales Police detective constable Elizabeth Picton said: "Daniel Blight preyed upon his victim when they were completely helpless, but was crucially caught on camera in critical evidence for his conviction. At South Wales Police we relentlessly pursue the perpetrators of sexual offences and ensure that the victims receive justice."