Bruke Desalagne, 33, has been convicted of raping a pensioner outside a north London church. The Eritrean man dragged his intoxicated victim behind a fence at St John's Church in Harrow, where he subjected him to a 20-minute ordeal.
Attack lasted 20 minutes
Jurors at Harrow Crown Court took just two hours to find Desalagne guilty of rape. He will be sentenced later this year. The court heard how the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was dragged from a bench to a grass area behind the church.
The attack continued for 20 minutes as traffic and pedestrians passed by, until a witness spotted the incident from her car window and called the police. The witness also partially recorded the attack and handed the footage to officers.
Police response and trial
Officers hurried to the scene, and Desalagne was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and rape. The 33-year-old, who required an interpreter throughout proceedings, claimed he was initially trying to assist the elderly victim because he was intoxicated.
CCTV footage showed how Desalagne paused the attack every time a member of the public walked by. 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."
Bibi Ihuomah, defending, argued that there was no evidence that a rape had occurred, cautioning the jury against a "knee-jerk" reaction. Desalagne remained still during the trial and maintained his composure as the jury announced their verdict.
Police statement
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."
He added: "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."
