The father of a woman violently raped while she was unconscious said today he was distressed by the short jail term handed down to her attacker.

Paul Mooney's 27-year-old daughter Rachel was raped by her long-term boyfriend while she was unconscious after a drugs overdose.

He said: "I am extremely disappointed at the lenient sentence."

Miss Mooney was raped twice by 30-year-old Jason Halliley, causing her internal injuries. She later died of the drugs overdose.

Halliley, of Blackburn Place in Batley, originally denied two counts of raping Miss Mooney, of Chadwick Fold Lane in Mirfield, but changed his pleas to guilty four days into his trial. He also pleaded guilty to causing her grievous bodily harm.

Judge Norman Jones QC, sitting at Leeds Crown Court, yesterday sentenced Halliley to 18 months imprisonment for causing grievous bodily harm, and nine months for each of the rapes, to run concurrently. But he told him he would only serve half of the 18-month total behind bars.

During sentencing, the judge told the court: "I am satisfied on what I have heard that had Rachel had full control of her senses, she would have, in all probability, welcomed the advances as a peace-making move."

A rape counsellor warned that the wrong message was sent out by the judge's sentencing.

Jane Gregory, a worker at Bradford rape crisis and sexual abuse service, said many women who are assaulted feel they do not get justice for what they have suffered.

"Time and time again women and girls don't see any justice for the crime that has been perpetrated against them," she said. "Rape and sexual attacks are not to do with love and amorous feelings - they are acts of violence and control. To do anything like that to an unconscious body is not a mutual and enjoyable activity and drink is not an excuse."

She added: "Why are rapists allowed to go to court, put forward these so-called mitigating factors and get away with it? The case almost becomes more about the perpetrator than the victim."

On September 2, 1999 Miss Mooney - who had been dating Halliley for ten years - had taken a number of drugs he had been prescribed to fight his alcoholism, before falling into unconsciousness. The pair had had an argument but Halliley did not know she had taken the medication.

Halliley, who had been drinking heavily, pulled her to an upstairs bedroom and violently raped her twice.

The court had earlier heard that Halliley had "an honest but drunken belief" that Miss Mooney had consented to intercourse.