A 19-year-old man has been jailed for raping a woman after he lured her to a secluded area of a park during a night out. Faris Suleiman attacked the victim, described as being in her late teens, in People’s Park in Banbury, Oxfordshire, in the early hours on March 30 this year.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Gemma Kerby said Suleiman of Windrush, Banbury, “preyed” on his victim. The woman, who had been out with her friends, was in Banbury town centre when she left a nightclub with Suleiman sometime between 3am and 3.20am. Suleiman then lured her to a secluded area of People’s Park, where he raped her, Thames Valley Police said.
The force said the victim remained with Suleiman out of fear and they both re-entered the town centre, where she searched for her friends and told them what happened.
Police were informed shortly afterwards and officers stopped Suleiman as he matched the description of the offender that was given by the victim.
Suleiman was charged the following day (March 31) and remanded in custody.
He was sentenced to six years in prison, with a four-year extended licence, at Oxford Crown Court last week.
A jury found Suleiman guilty by majority verdict of one count of rape, following a six-day trial at the same court in September.
DC Kerby said: “Faris Sulieman preyed on a vulnerable victim on a night out with her friends and raped her, which has had an unimaginable impact on her.
“I would like to thank the victim and witnesses for their support and engagement during the investigation.
“I hope that the victim can continue on the road to recovery knowing that Suleiman has been found guilty and jailed as a result of his actions.
“We will always work relentlessly to bring those who cause harm to others to justice and we encourage any sexual offence victims to report what’s happened to police.”
