Exclusive
JUSTICE AT LAST
My husband confronted beast who drugged & raped me as a teen – his sick response saw us bring him down 26 years later
Her rapist made a chilling denial
CLAIRE Martin had a 'beautiful life', with a loving husband, two beautiful children and a thriving business.
But the 43-year-old mum, from Lancashire, was haunted by a horrific night when was raped in a nightclub kitchen by her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Martin Sweeney, 48.
7
Claire was just 17, in 1988, when the attack took place and, years later, she went on to marry Lee Martin, 53, and raise a family.
But she couldn't forget her ordeal and suffered numerous nervous breakdowns - before heroic husband Lee tracked down her rapist on Facebook and confronted him.
Hearing Sweeney’s twisted lies and lack of remorse, Lee helped convince his wife to report him and she achieved justice after 26 years.
Now, Claire has bravely waived her anonymity to raise awareness of historic abuse cases, encouraging women to come forward no matter how long it has been.
Claire says: “That night has been a dark cloud on my marriage, and family life, for so long.
“Now I can be the happy person I’ve always longed to be.
“I hope other mums out there don’t suffer in silence for as long as I did. I feel so much lighter. And so can you.”
In 1998, when Claire was 17, she went clubbing with a friend in Blackpool.
Most read in The Sun
At the club, she bumped into Sweeney, who was 22 at the time, and his friend.
She says: “Martin used to date my older sister so we went years back. He’d always felt like a big brother figure.
First look at the BBC's Cold Case Investigators Solving Britain's Sex Crimes
“That night, we drank and danced for hours. After closing, our friend, who owned the club, told us we could have the after-party there.
“Martin handed me a tablet with a smooth brown coating. Highly intoxicated, I thought it was ecstasy and swallowed it whole.
“I’d never tried it before but, young and naïve, I just wanted to have fun.
“Right after, Martin’s friend looked concerned and questioned him for giving it to me.
7
7
“After that everything went weird and my vision blurred. Then, Martin took me away from the group into the staff kitchen.
“I lost control of my body, and became disorientated. He was then on top of me and I kept saying no and trying to push him off.
“Ignoring me, he pinned me down, forcing himself onto me. Unable to scream, or move my arms, I went limp.”
When Claire next opened her eyes, she woke at Sweeney’s house in a state of confusion.
Scary flashbacks
She fled home and, later that week, her mum noticed bruises all over her thighs and arms.
Claire says: “I told her they were nothing and the night out had got out of control.
“But suddenly, I started having flashbacks of Martin on top of me in the kitchen and me saying no.
“I was in denial and told myself it wasn’t rape. After that, as time went on, I tried my hardest to push it to the back of my head.
“I’d been so inebriated, I felt humiliated and guilt-ridden. I worried it was my fault, and that I’d let it happen.”
After that, Claire was determined to move on with her life. She lost touch with Sweeney and didn’t see him again.
Years later, in 2003, aged 22, Claire met her husband Lee.
My blood boiled hearing his lies
Claire on her rapist's denials
Claire says: “I told Lee that Martin raped me and he was heartbroken. He always supported me.
“Over the years, we built a beautiful life together. We started our own advertising company and had two gorgeous children, now 19 and 10. I had it all.
“But even being a wife, and mum, the night from when I was 17 still haunted me. The older I got, the more hopeful I was that it’d go away.
“Sexual abuse storylines on TV would trigger me. I even had nightmares of Martin attacking me.
“I sobbed to Lee constantly.”
Then in 2020, during the Covid-19 lockdown, Claire’s mental health deteriorated more.
Nervous breakdown
Aged 40, she started turning to alcohol and would sob uncontrollably to Lee most nights.
Claire says: “Lee was worried sick. Then one night, I had too much to drink and had a nervous breakdown.
“He’d had enough and said I’d been struggling for too long and that he was going to find Martin.”
Lee scoured through Facebook and tracked down Sweeney who was by then in his mid-40s.
7
7
Whilst Claire was in a flood of tears, Lee immediately rang Martin on Facebook Messenger and put the call on loudspeaker.
Claire says: “Lee said, ‘You raped my wife.’ Then I heard Martin shout that he didn’t.
“Lee gave him my maiden name and went into detail about what happened in the nightclub kitchen when I was 17.
“Martin said he’d never taken me into the kitchen and that I was lying.
“My blood boiled hearing his lies. I grabbed the phone from Lee and shrieked ‘You raped me!’
“Martin began shouting and swearing. He even mentioned still having a photo of me he’d taken.
“Lee hung up as I was getting more distressed. Hearing Martin had kept photos from that night made me feel sick.
“Although I was a mess, I loved and appreciated Lee for confronting him for me.”
No remorse
Over the next year, Claire replayed the conversation in her head, and was horrified by Sweeney’s twisted lies and lack of remorse.
Lee helped her find the strength to report Sweeney to the police in April 2021.
Claire says: “It was taking over my life, consuming me. I wanted to be the happy wife and mum my family deserved.
“Sickeningly Martin denied everything, and I was forced to go to trial in 2023.
“I refused to use a curtain and I faced Martin. As I told my story, I stared him right in the eye.
“And every time he caught my eye too, he quickly looked away. For the first time in my life, I had power over him.
“Lee told the jury of the torment and heartbreak he’d witnessed as a husband for years.
“My mum told of the bruises she’d seen the days after the attack. Whilst Martin’s friend from that night was his witness and made a mess of it.
“They all had mismatched stories that made no sense. Martin lied through his teeth, claiming I’d never stepped foot in the kitchen. He even showed the photos he’d kept, of us all partying together.
“It was extremely distressing, but thankfully the jury didn’t believe a word he said.”
7
In March 2023, Martin Sweeney, 48, of no fixed address, was found guilty of raping Claire at Preston Crown Court.
He was sentenced to seven years, and was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.
7
Worst places for sex attacks in UK revealed
In January we revealed the placed in Britain where people are most likely to fall victim to sexual offences.
Cleveland is the current "sexual crime capital of England" where the highest level of crimes per 1,000 population was reported.
The numbers are calculated to show the level of crime proportionate to the number of people who live there.
Cleveland saw 4.6 sexual crimes occur per 1,000 people according to the latest ONS figures.
In second place comes Greater Manchester which sees 4.1 sexual offences reported per 1,000 people.
And close behind is West Yorkshire with 4 per capita.
Meanwhile, Surrey is the safest place to BE for sexual offences England and Wales.
Per 1,000 they have just just 2 sexual crimes a year.
Hertfordshire, Bedforshire and Wiltshire were also among the safest areas in the country.
Claire says: “The judge told the court room how Martin had plied me with drugs, before raping me.
“After 26 years, I finally had justice. It was the most incredible feeling.
“Since the court case forced me to re-live everything, I have had some bad days still.
“It has even affected my sex life, as I feel triggered by small things again. But I’m planning on working through it all in therapy.
“I know there are brighter days ahead and that I’ve come out the other end so much stronger.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“To anyone who has gone through what I did, it isn’t too late to report. If I can do it, so can you.
“Please reach out to someone and get the help you need and the justice you deserve.”
How you can get help
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – [email protected].
Women’s Aid provides a - available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Topics