A teenage migrant from Africa has been sentenced to five years and three months in custody after raping a 17-year-old girl in a Worcester park.
The defendant, who was 15 at the time of the attack and cannot be identified due to his age, received the sentence at Worcester Crown Court today.
He had previously entered guilty pleas to one count of rape and one count of assault by penetration.
The youth, who came to the UK from Africa in 2023, required an interpreter during proceedings and retains the right to remain in the country.
Judge James Burbidge noted the offender showed “limited acceptance” of his crimes and posed a “high risk” of committing similar offences in future.
The assault occurred near tennis courts in Cripplegate Park during the early hours of August 10 last year.
The court heard the defendant, dressed entirely in black and wearing a balaclava, trailed the victim into the park at approximately 2am despite having no prior connection to her.
He approached the young woman and told her she was “pretty and sexy” before stating he wanted to have sex with her and that it would “only take five minutes”.
The assault occurred near tennis courts in Cripplegate Park
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Worcester
When she declined, he forced himself upon her.
The victim begged to be allowed to go home as the attacker removed her shorts and underwear, the court was told. Throughout the ordeal, he repeatedly claimed to be 18 years old.
After managing to break free, she gathered her clothing and escaped while the defendant remained seated in the park.
Two witnesses discovered the distressed victim walking through the park shortly after the assault. One described her as being in a state of “distress and shock” and recounted how she told them a man had removed her shorts and raped her.
The boy was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court
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DNA evidence including blood and semen traces was recovered from clothing belonging to both parties.
Police initiated a search for the perpetrator and arrested him within days, charging him two days after the offence.
During sentencing, Judge Burbidge addressed the defendant directly: “You had the opportunity to tell the police what happened and you decided to lie.”
He added: “You have little understanding of what you have done to the victim, and you have little interest in the impact upon her.”
The judge expressed concern about future risk, stating: “There is a high risk of you doing something like this again.”
The victim described the lasting psychological damage in her impact statement, revealing she now experiences fear around men and suffers nightmares daily.
She told the court she had developed a drug habit since the rape to help her cope. “I do not know the person who did this to me. I’m glad I do not have to see him again,” she said.
Detective Inspector Sharon Wallace-Rathmell, of West Mercia Police, praised the victim’s courage in reporting the incident promptly.
“This was an incredibly traumatic experience for the victim, and one which also shocked the local community,” she said.
She added: “I hope today’s outcome shows that we will do everything we can to ensure those who commit these abhorrent crimes are brought to justice.”