A WOMAN who was raped as a teenager by a trusted friend has revealed she is moving on with her life and is now pregnant.

Angel Rogerson, 21, is expecting her first child just three years on from the horrifying ordeal which led her to use bleach in a desperate bid to clean herself.

The mum-to-be, of Newton Aycliffe, has waived her right to anonymity in order to speak out about her experience – which she now hopes to put behind her for good.

“It has been very, very hard trusting someone,” she said. “I can’t sleep if someone I don’t know very well is in the same house.

“But I can’t spend the rest of my life being scared.

“I am still getting over what has happened, but I am looking forward to the future.”

Just two days after her nan's funeral, on April 3, 2015, the then 19-year-old had spent the night at a Newton Aycliffe pub with friend Douglas Hodgson, his sisters and mother.

The group went back to his family home for a drink and when it grew late, they suggested she share the then 28-year-old's double bed rather than go home on her own.

Having trusted Hodgson and having known the family for five years, Ms Rogerson climbed into his bed fully clothed.

She fell asleep beside Hodgson, known as ‘Dougie’, who was already asleep.

But in the morning she woke in agonising pain, despite still being fully clothed.

Suspecting he had assaulted her as she slept, Ms Rogerson wanted to gauge his reaction and after she left the house messaged him on social media: “I know exactly what you did to me last night.”

He admitted he had touched her sexually her but “swore down” he did not rape her.

She went to the police after confiding in older sister Gemma, 28.

“I just had a feeling that Douglas had done something to me so I messaged him to get a reaction,” she said. “I just knew something bad had happened.

“I couldn’t believe it when he said he had sexually touched me while I was asleep.

“I am a heavy sleeper so I didn’t wake up through any of it.

“After I was examined by a doctor to find out what Douglas had done, I scrubbed myself clean with bleach.

“I was crying my eyes out, I was in bits.”

Forensic results later confirmed he had raped her.

Hodgson denied the offence for 22 months but confessed to raping Ms Rogerson on February 23 this year.

Originally from Newton Aycliffe, but living at Mainsforth Rise, Ferryhill, at the time of sentencing, admitted rape at Durham Crown Court – six days before his trial was due to start.

Ms Rogerson read out her victim impact statement during the sentencing hearing the following month.

Judge Christopher Prince jailed Douglas Michael Hodgson, now aged 30, to six years and four months.

He was also handed a restraining order, forbidding him from contacting or approaching the victim. He must also register as a sex offender for life.

Ms Rogerson said: “I am happy with the sentence that Douglas was given.

“I hate him for what he has done to me.

“He didn’t have a leg to stand on.

“The results showed he had to have raped me.

“I did not know what had happened but I had a feeling it was rape.

“When I found out that was the case, I felt sick.

“I was expecting to give evidence during his trial in court for months.”