Shropshire Star

Telford illegal immigrant jailed for raping 'vulnerable' victim

An illegal immigrant who raped a woman in the stairwell of a Telford block of flats has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.

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Telford rapist Radovan Opoku

Radovan Opoku was said to have "used, abused and discarded" his exceptionally vulnerable victim following the attack in Hollinswood.

Ghanaian-born Opoku, 33, was found guilty of rape at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday and was led from the dock in tears.

Telford rapist Radovan Opoku

Opoku, of Burford in Brookside, will be on the sex offenders register for life and details of the trial are to be sent to the immigration authorities to consider possible deportation. He had denied the rape charge, but was found guilty by the jury on an 11-1 majority verdict following a five-day trial.

Judge Robin Onions told Opoku he had used the 27-year-old victim for his own sexual purposes having been frustrated after contact with his girlfriend.

He said: "You were looking to fulfil your desires and it was a tragedy that the victim came across you. She was exceptionally vulnerable because of her emotional state, her epilepsy and issues with drink and drugs. You used her, abused her and discarded her."

Judge Onions said Opoku had lied to police, his partner and to the jury and his trial was a cynical attempt to avoid responsibility. He said the young woman's distress was absolutely clear and she was left hysterical and distraught.

Judge Onions said it had been a determined assault and an aggravating feature was possible risk of infection bearing in mind Opoku had slept with four other women in the previous six days.

The jury had heard that the young woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been drinking and had gone out to buy more wine on the evening of June 17 when it was still daylight. She was approached by Opoku and she told jury that she "just froze" and did not try to shout for help or fight off her attacker.

Sobbing in the witness box she said Opoku took her by the arm and dragged her.

"I did not ask him for wine, or money. I did not want it to happen. I did not want any of it," she said.

Opoku, who had held her forcibly against a wall as he assaulted her, had tried to claim that the woman had offered him sex in return for money to buy wine.

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