A 23-year-old man has been jailed for 15 years after raping a child in Nuneaton last year.
Ahmad Mulakhil, an Afghan national whose asylum claims were being processed in the UK, was sentenced on Friday at Warwick Crown Court.
The court heard how Mulakhil first encountered the 12-year-old girl in a local park on 22 July. He later took her to a patch of grass where he raped her and recorded part of the attack.
The victim managed to escape after Mulakhil took her to a shop, where she spotted a chance to run away and report the incident.
Last month, a jury found Mulakhil guilty of:
• One count of rape of a female child under 13
• Abducting a child
• Two counts of sexual assault
• One count of taking indecent photos of a child
He had previously pleaded guilty to a further count of rape at an earlier hearing.
In addition to his 15-year prison sentence and a further 12 months on licence, Mulakhil was handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and an indefinite restraining order.
Detective Chief Inspector Collette O’Keefe, who led the investigation, praised the victim’s bravery. She said: “When Mulakhil carried out this horrific attack on a young girl, not only did he commit the most serious of crimes he breached the fundamental values that hold our communities together.
“I want to pay tribute to the extraordinary courage of the victim. Her account allowed us to gather the evidence we needed to ensure Mulakhil was brought to justice.
“No sentence can undo the trauma of what she endured. But we hope today marks the beginning of her journey toward the bright, safe, and happy future she deserves.”
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
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