Conviction over stranger rape at Hastings home

A man who attacked a complete stranger at her home in Hastings, after forcing his way in, has been found guilty of rape and attempted rape.

Jason Wren was seen by witnesses acting suspiciously outside the property in November 2024, while the woman was home alone. They described him as “making them feel uneasy”, after he was seen looking through the windows of the property and ducking in between parked cars.

The woman heard a knock at the door and thought it was one of her house mates who may have forgotten their keys, but when she opened the door, Wren, who was wearing a balaclava, grabbed her by the throat, bruising her neck and told her not to make a noise, otherwise he would hurt her.

He then forced her upstairs, before raping her and attempting to rape her, telling her he would kill her if she refused. As soon as he left, she called the police, who launched a media appeal. Wren handed himself in a few days later and coverage of the case from local media outlets and Facebook were found on his phone.

Daniel Harrison from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “This was an attack on a woman in her own home, where she should have been safe.

“Despite everything she had been through, the victim had the presence of mind to call the police as soon as Wren left, giving them a detailed description of exactly what had happened.

“The jury saw through Wren’s lies that this had been a pre-planned meeting between the two of them.

“Wren was a complete stranger who carefully planned this attack, ensuring that the victim was alone, spending significant time outside her home before forcing his way into the property.

“None of us can comprehend what the victim went through that night, but we hope that this conviction brings some small comfort to her.”