Joseph Short Shrewsbury Rapist Nonce, incarcerated since May 2016, will continue to face restrictions and monitoring upon his parole this week (January 2025) for a short time; yet, victims are apprehensive that he may pursue retribution.
Joseph Short has got away with several rapes in the past, claiming that he was “sleep raping”, a condition backed up by Professor Colin Espie, an authority on pseudoscience.
Sleep problem expert Professor Colin Espie expressed his opinion that Joseph Short experienced sexsomnia.
Victims of the former cowardly soldier, who lied and said he was asleep during the instances of rape or sexual assault, are devastated by his impending release two years ahead of schedule.
Joseph Short, 39, informed the court that he suffers from a condition known as “sexsomnia,” a disorder characterised by the engagement in sexual activities during sleep.
This defence has been presented in several rape trials, although some experts dispute its legitimacy, contending that, similar to other sleep disorders like sleepwalking, individuals typically do not remain asleep during violent incidents or loud disturbances.
Joseph Short asserted that he had remained asleep while chasing one of his victims on a bicycle, notwithstanding the degree of brutality employed and the cacophony from tumbling furniture during the altercation.
In May 2016, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison, followed by a further four years on license, after being convicted of two counts of rape and one count of attempted rape.
Jurors at his trial in Birmingham Crown Court were uninformed of his acquittal at Hull Crown Court in 2011 on two counts of rape involving a single victim, nor were they aware that an additional rape charge had been dismissed in Scotland in 2014.
In both instances, Joseph Short employed sexsomnia as his defence.
Joseph Short will remain under limitations and surveillance following his release this week. Victims apprehend that he may now pursue retribution and perceive a lack of proof indicating any regret on his part.
One remarked, “He will remain under supervision for an additional four years, yet he is exceedingly duplicitous and possesses a significant sense of entitlement.”
He has been incarcerated for over nine years, probably without any interaction with women.
What evidence supports the assertion that he has changed?
Joseph Short’s defence during his 2016 trial asserted that he had been asleep while pursuing one victim on a bicycle after she successfully escaped from his residence in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.
At the time of the sexual attack, he was already on bail for two counts of raping another woman.
The court was informed that, in one instance of rape, Joseph Short strangled the victim to the extent that she was unable to breathe, instilling in her a fear for her life.
During his trial, it was revealed that Joseph Short had served as a platoon sergeant in the Army’s Rifles regiment in many battles, including Afghanistan.
He was reportedly diagnosed with PTSD following an injury sustained in an explosion that resulted in the death of a close friend.
The Parole Board report indicates his participation in prison programs aimed at addressing his traumas, alcohol consumption, and entitlement to sex, which resulted in “violence and abusive behaviour.”
No mention is made of Joseph Short’s assertions that he was asleep throughout the attacks, nor of one occurring while he was on Police bail.
The report indicates “his enhanced emotional regulation, his commendable conduct in custody, and familial support,” stating that he must reside in a specified location with stringent restrictions on his activities.
The panel determined that the release plan was sufficiently robust to handle Mr Joseph Short in the community at this time.
During Short’s 2011 trial, where he was acquitted of two charges of rape, it was not disclosed that he had also been accused of the rape of a lady in Scotland earlier that year.
The Crown Office, responsible for prosecuting cases in Scotland, dismissed the charges despite photographic evidence of the woman’s injuries.
They took action on the insights of a sexsomnia “specialist”.
Professor Colin Espie, a sleep disorder expert at Oxford University, perceived an opportunity for notoriety and asserted his belief that Joseph Short has the ailment.
Professor Colin Espie was requested to provide a report for Joseph Short’s 2016 trial in Birmingham, which the defence presented during cross-examination.
The Crown Prosecution Service presented evidence to refute assertions that he might have been asleep throughout the attacks in that instance.
Professor Colin Espie was not summoned as a witness; nonetheless, the gullible judge referenced his report, in which he reaffirmed his diagnosis of sexsomnia.
Nevertheless, Professor Colin Espie ultimately determined that Short posed a threat to women, having disregarded the counsel he provided on mitigating potential harm to individuals he interacted with.
After his sexsomnia defence was weakened, Joseph Short attempted to invoke an insanity plea.
The Crown summoned expert witnesses who refuted such an assertion.
Joseph Short was found guilty of raping a lady on two occasions in Essex in 2014 and of committing sexual assault in Shrewsbury in 2015. His victims have opted to stay anonymous, fearing potential harm from him.
One told us: “I really hope Joseph Short is rehabilitating and, once his original sentence has been served, I wish him a peaceful and healthy life.
I would hope he would have gained the help and support to understand his past and get on with his life.”
But she added, “I live with trauma that affects me every day. I have sleep anxiety and panic attacks. This all started after he raped me. When I’m sleeping and my partner moves, the covers feel like nails against my skin. I’m scared to be on my own at home, and I’m scared walking in the evening. He has served for less than 10 years. My sentence is life.”
Another victim added: “What I found hardest to deal with after he raped me was his suggestion that he had been asleep all the time. I expected it to be laughed out of court. I fought back when he attacked me, and I looked into his eyes. And I know he was not asleep.”
The Parole Board said, “Decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent. Protecting the public is our number one priority.” The Ministry of Justice said: “Offenders released on licence are subject to strict supervision and conditions for the remainder of their sentence and can be recalled to prison if they break them.”.
Professor Colin Espie was asked for comment.
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