by Keith Hunt

A bizarrely dressed pervert armed with a knife broke into a young mother’s home at night and handcuffed and molested her, a court heard.

When the victim wept and screamed during the terrifying ordeal, fearing she and her daughter would be murdered, John Edwards threatened to gag her.

Now, the 32-year-old, of Kent Avenue, Sittingbourne, is facing a lengthy jail sentence after being convicted of false imprisonment and sexual assault.

A judge said Edwards had behaved in “the most unusual, curious and, some would say, perverted way”.

The woman had gone to bed at her Sheppey home in October last year, leaving a kitchen window slightly open. She went to sleep wearing a vest top, tracksuit bottoms and socks.

“She was awoken to find a man kneeling on her bed,” prosecutor Nina Ellin told Maidstone Crown Court.

“He was wearing a black jacket fastened to the chin, sunglasses and some kind of head covering like a balaclava.

“He was also wearing black gloves and black trousers. He put his hand over her mouth. She was struggling to get him off.”

"[he behaved in] the most unusual, curious and, some would say, perverted way… – judge

Miss Ellin said the intruder pulled the victim up into the sitting position. She was shouting and screaming. He pulled out a knife and told her to be quiet.

He threatened to gag her and then handcuffed her. He took her downstairs. He took some rope out of his pocket and then put it away again.

Edwards took her back upstairs and pushed her on the bed. He touched her leg and then sexually assaulted her.

He eventually threw the piece of rope onto the bed and said he was going.

After he left, the woman tried to phone the father of her daughter but there was no response.

She called the police and described how wire was used around her mouth and said he had a curved knife.

Miss Ellin said Edwards was arrested and when his then home in Acorn Street, Sheerness, was searched officers found dark clothing, a curved knife, black gloves, silver handcuffs and wire.

Edwards denied the charges, claiming he was not the intruder, but he was convicted by the jury.

Judge Martin Joy adjourned sentence for reports until July 18 to assess dangerousness.