Bruke Desalagne, a 33-year-old man from Eritrea, has been found guilty of raping a pensioner outside a north London church. The attack took place behind a wall near St John's Church in Harrow, where Desalagne dragged his victim and subjected him to a 20-minute ordeal.
Conviction at Harrow Crown Court
Jurors at Harrow Crown Court took just two hours to convict Desalagne of rape. He will be sentenced in the autumn. The court heard that Desalagne dragged the intoxicated man behind a fence before the assault, which continued for 20 minutes as traffic and pedestrians passed by unaware.
A witness saw the incident from her car window and quickly phoned the police. She also managed to partially record the attack and handed the footage to officers.
Arrest and defence
Officers rushed to the scene, and Desalagne was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and rape. The 33-year-old, who used an interpreter throughout proceedings, claimed he was initially trying to help the elderly victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, because he was intoxicated.
CCTV footage of the attack showed how, every time a member of the public walked by, Desalagne would pause the attack. Simon Shannon, prosecuting, said: “You can see the defendant dragging the heavily intoxicated victim from the bench where he was sitting, and dragged him to the grass area.”
Police response
Bibi Ihuomah, defending, argued that there was no proof that a rape had occurred, warning the jury against a “knee-jerk” reaction. Desalagne remained motionless throughout the trial and remained so as the jury delivered their verdict.
Det Con Luke Revill of the Metropolitan Police said: “Bruke Desalagne is a dangerous offender who targeted a defenceless, vulnerable, elderly man. Thanks to members of the public alerting the police, he was arrested at the scene, charged the following day and remanded by the courts. We are committed to bringing sexual predators like Desalagne to justice. We would urge anyone who has been the victim of similar offending to get in touch with the police. You will be supported and listened to by officers.”
If you have been affected by any themes in this story, you can call Rape Crisis for free 24 hours a day on 0808 500 2222. You can also visit the website to start a free online chat.
