A grandmother was raped by a stranger she met at a nightclub after he followed her home and waited until she fell asleep. Mohamed Benradi, 27, of Hatherley Street in London, was jailed for eight and a half years at Liverpool Crown Court after being found guilty of rape and two counts of theft.
Benradi met the woman at a club in 2024 and chatted with her in the smoking area before starting a fight in an attempt to "impress her," the court heard. The incident caused her to order a taxi home, but Benradi let himself into the car uninvited and accompanied her back to her address in South Liverpool.
Attack at the victim's home
The woman eventually agreed that Benradi could stay on her sofa after he ignored her repeated requests to leave. However, he followed her upstairs when she went to bed and raped her after she had fallen asleep. Before leaving, he stole a coat and a bottle of alcohol from the address.
Martyn Walsh, prosecuting, detailed how the defendant had ignored the woman's requests for him to leave the taxi and her home. Benradi later claimed that his victim "had a great time," a claim the jury rejected.
Victim impact statement
Addressing the court in person on Wednesday, the woman said: "An enjoyable evening with friends became a traumatic incident that will have a lasting impact on my life. What happened was neither a result of chance nor irresponsibility on my part. A man made a conscious choice to exploit the situation."
She added: "I've always considered myself a friendly and sociable person. This experience doesn't define who I am, but it's profoundly affected my life, my confidence and my sense of security. He knew I didn't consent to any sexual contact, yet he continued regardless. My home, which should have been my sanctuary, became a place associated with fear and vulnerability."
The woman also spoke about the trial process, saying: "Having to go through a trial was an extremely emotional experience. I was the person who had been raped, yet I felt like I was being placed under scrutiny for what happened to me. The trial has left me feeling that he's shown little understanding of the harm he caused."
She concluded: "I hope that, one day, Mr Benradi will truly understand the consequences. What happened to me was not my fault. I should never have had to endure this experience. I'm the person who has to live with the consequences of his actions, and I will continue to do so long after these proceedings have ended."
Sentencing and judge's remarks
Eric Lamb, defending, told the court: "The defendant has no previous convictions for sexual offending. This has been his first experience of custody, which, of course, is all the more difficult for him as a result."
Sentencing, Judge Dennis Watson KC said: "Your case at trial, that she was having a great time with you and she invited you to her bed, was rejected by the jury as a false claim and a lie. What you did was to ignore the fact that she did not want you in the cab."
He added: "You knew that she was extremely tired. You knew that she had been drinking. Effectively, you wore down her resistance. When she went upstairs, you followed her. She was so tired that she had not even undressed before she got into bed, and you followed her into the bed. Whether she was someone who fell fast asleep or passed out does not matter. She fell unconscious, and you raped her."
Benradi appeared via video link to HMP Liverpool and was handed an indefinite restraining order and told to sign the sex offenders' register for life.
