Girl, 17, raped by migrant in his locked bathroom after her phone died on the bus | UK | News
A “dangerous sexual attacker” who locked a young girl in the toilet and raped her was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Chiemka Okoronta, 29, originally from Nigeria, was on the bus with her victim on March 25 when the bus ended early in Morley, Leeds, leaving her stranded because her phone battery died.
Bradford Crown Court heard postgraduate student Okoronta offered to share a taxi with the 17-year-old girl to Bradford bus station, but instead booked a taxi to his own flat and assaulted the girl. The prosecution said the victim gave Okoronta the remaining money (£4.90) to contribute to the fare and Okoronta “chose to sit in the back and started making kissing gestures at her” in the taxi.
The court heard Okoronta, of Morley Street, Bradford, persuaded the victim to go inside before locking her in a toilet and assaulting her.
Following the attack, the girl managed to run and get help from a passerby who gave her her phone to call 999.
Okoronta was found guilty of three counts of rape and causing a woman 16 or older to engage in sexual activity after a trial earlier this year.
On Monday, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison with three years of extended licence.
Judge Sophie McKone said Okoronta was a “dangerous sexual predator”.
He told her: “You knew she was a vulnerable person, she was miles from where she needed to be. You knew she had to go to Bradford. She was 17, had little money and her phone was dead. “I am satisfied that when you asked her to share a taxi you devised a plan to take her back to her address where you could rape her.
“This was a constant occurrence. It was clear the complainant was quite vulnerable.”
In her victim statement read in court, the girl said: “This incident turned my life upside down. I have memories of the events that happened to me, and I have nightmares.”
“One minute I feel fine and the next minute it all comes back; I feel sad, then frustrated and angry about what happened.
“I used to miss meeting arrangements with friends. I usually stay in my room and avoid talking to people. I still don’t like leaving my room at all.
“When I was told he was found guilty, I was relieved knowing that this person could not do to anyone else the same thing he did to me.”
Detective Constable Sue Sutcliffe, of West Yorkshire Police, said Okoronta “took advantage of his victim and lured her to his home and forced her to engage in sexual activity”.
He added: “I would like to congratulate the victim in this case for her tremendous courage in coming forward immediately to report this horrific crime.”
The court heard Okoronta would likely be deported after his sentence and must register as a sex offender for life.
