Rape hell I'm speaking out now to help other women

A COURAGEOUS Bristol woman who was sexually assaulted by her downstairs neighbour has revealed how he monitored her movements around her flat to orchestrate the horrific attack.

- Filipa GASPAR

Naomi Saatchi, now 43, was a 21-year-old healthcare assistant when she was raped by David Watson-Williams.

On a freezing evening in 2003 Naomi, who has waived her lifelong anonymity, met a friend for drinks to catch up.

She returned home at approximately 3am, climbed into bed fully clothed and fell asleep - but awoke to find herself being sexually assaulted.

Watson-Williams waited for Naomi to drift off before breaking into her property and attacking her.

She realised the rape had been “pre-planned” and due to her hardwood floors the attacker was able to monitor her footsteps around the flat and knew when she was asleep from the absence of movement.

During the assault Naomi disclosed how she pretended to be unconscious as she feared he might “strangle her” and “turn violent” if she attempted to resist him.

Although she tried to suppress memories of the rape, 20 years later childless and single Naomi recognised it had played a “significant role” in her relationships with men.

In 2021 she decided to seek justice and reported the assault to police.

Now, after 22 years, Naomi finally witnessed her predator being sentenced on July 7 - to 12 years imprisonment with an extended three-year licence.

Naomi, a nurse prescriber, said: “T had a hardwood floor. The man who raped me could hear when I walked into the bathroom and the bedroom. He would have been able to hear me getting into bed and the fact that there was no movement for a while must have been when he thought I was asleep.

“I woke up and then there's always that split second where you are not quite sure what is happening and then I realised very quickly what was happening.