Iraqi Asylum Seeker Jailed for Raping Drunk Woman in London

An Iraqi asylum seeker has been jailed for luring a “vulnerable”, drunk woman into his basement and raping her after she missed the last bus home.

Ismael Ali Omer, 32, approached the “clearly drunk” woman in August last year, after seeing her stranded at a bus stop following a night out in Shepherd’s Bush, West London.

Mr. Omer claimed asylum in the UK after being tortured by Saddam Hussain’s regime. He is still unable to return because his hometown is now controlled by Islamic State.

On the night of the crime, he persuaded the “naïve” victim she would be safe with him in his nearby home in Notting Hill, Court News reports. She soon realised “something was wrong” once inside, but was unable to fend him off as he raped her in the cramped room, said to be “little more than a cupboard”.

When she fled and pressed charges, Mr. Omar attempted to exploit her memory loss by claiming she had made advances towards him. However, CCTV footage of the “vulnerable” women stumbling near his house revealed she had not initiated any sexual activity.

He denied the allegation against him but was convicted of one count of rape following a trial at Southwark Crown Court. He cried as he was jailed for five years.

Detective Inspector Ash Hornsby of the Sexual Offences Exploitation and Child Abuse Command said in a statement:

“This was a violent assault on a lone female and that is reflected in the sentence. Londoners should feel safer today as a dangerous offender has been taken off the streets.”

Judge Martin Beddoe said: “On that evening in August last year you came across a very drunk, rather naive, and thus vulnerable young lady who was lost, who had lost her mobile phone and because of that circumstance and because of her condition could not find her way or get back to where she really wanted to be.

“Having watched the CCTV material on a number of occasions in the course of the trial I’m in no doubt that the reality is that at the bus stop you spotted her and gave her the indication that you could help her with her predicament, and you took the lead as to where she then went.

“I’m in no doubt that she didn’t come on to you as you falsely described in your evidence and she didn’t then make sexual overtures towards you.

“You have exploited her memory loss to try and portray her as the initiator of the sexual activity that subsequently resulted between you.”

He continued: “This lost young woman who missed her bus… and you led her to believe that she was safe with you. I have no doubt that when you persuaded her into what is little more than a cupboard she realised something was wrong.

“You then took advantage of her drunkenness and vulnerability. The sex is the only sex there was and which she tried to persuade you not to perform.”