Afghan migrant jailed for raping 'vulnerable' woman

A migrant from Afghanistan has been jailed for 10 years for the rape of a "vulnerable, intoxicated" woman.

Musafar Hotak, 25, was convicted after a trial at Southampton Crown Court of the rape and sexual assault by penetration of the woman in the early hours of 12 July 2022.

The court heard that the victim had left the Cafe Parfait bar in Southampton after being asked to leave by the bouncers for being drunk.

As she attempted to contact her girlfriend, Hotak, who was 22 at the time, started to follow her before a voicemail sent on the victim's phone heard her telling him to stop.

Reading her personal impact statement to the court, the victim said she lived in "constant fear" and that the attack had "left scars in every part of my life".

The court was told how the complainant remembered waking up in Hotak's home with him lying on top of her and sexually assaulting her then raping her.

She repeatedly told him to stop, but she felt unable to prevent him because he was using "a lot of force", the court heard.

After she escaped, she contacted police, and a swab taken from her was matched to the defendant's DNA.

The victim said the attack had led her to self-harm and an attempt to take her own life.

"What happened to me destroyed my life in ways I never thought possible. I didn't just feel violated, I felt erased.

"Since that day I have lived in fear, shame, silence and unbearable pain that I can't fully describe," she said.

Judge Gary Lucie sentenced Hotak to a 10-year prison term with a four-year extended period on licence, imposed an indefinite restraining order on him not to contact the victim, and placed him on the sex offenders register.

He told Hotak, who will be deported from the UK upon completing his sentence: "The Home Office will consider whether to deport you."

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He praised the victim's bravery and said Hotak had taken "advantage of the victim who was very drunk".

"It is obvious your offending has had a severe psychological impact on her which will probably remain with her for the rest of her life."

A Home Office spokesman said: "All foreign national offenders who receive a prison sentence of over 12 months are automatically referred for deportation at the earliest opportunity and will be barred from returning to the UK.

"We will not tolerate foreign criminals committing crimes in the UK, and that is why we are scaling up their deportations."

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.

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