Former Footballer Tesfaye Bramble Jailed For Rape

Former Footballer Jailed For Rape
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PRESS ASSOCIATION -- The brother of Premier League footballer Titus Bramble has been jailed for four and a half years after being convicted of rape.

Tesfaye Bramble, who played for Southend United, Stockport County and Stevenage before his career was ended by injury, raped a 19-year-old woman in the Vermont Hotel in Newcastle following a night out.

Jailing him at Leeds Crown Court, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said Bramble had shown "not a shred of remorse".

A jury found 31-year-old Bramble guilty of rape following a week-long trial in June.

His brother, Sunderland defender Titus Bramble, attended the trial and gave evidence in his defence.

The judge said Bramble had been nightclubbing "as is the custom, seemingly", and the defendant had gone back to the hotel room where the victim was sleeping.

He added: "It has been described as opportunistic and it was to some extent.

"There was only one reason why you went back to the room... and that was to have sexual intercourse with her.

"I am entirely satisfied she was asleep at the time and was incapable of giving her consent and you knew it.

"You, and those involved in such activities, seem to have an attitude borne out by the contents of the pre-sentence report that says when young women go back to hotels in those circumstances with footballers, they go back for one reason only and that is to have sexual intercourse. They have a right to be protected and she had a right to be there and to be left alone and you abused it."