Afghan migrant jailed for raping ‘drunk’ woman after he blamed family member | UK | News
A 25-year-old Afghan immigrant has been jailed for 10 years for raping a “vulnerable, drunk” woman in Southampton and then trying to blame his own family members for the attack. Musafar Hotak was found guilty of rape and sexual assault by penetration following a trial at Southampton Crown Court.
The offenses occurred in the early hours of July 12, 2022, after the 24-year-old victim spent a night out on the town. The court heard the woman was asked to leave Cafe Parfait by bouncers because she was drunk. While trying to contact his girlfriend, Hotak, who was 22 at the time, began stalking her and giving her unwanted attention.
He said he knew his partner and offered to help them get back together. Instead he directed her to his own address. In the voice message sent from his phone, the woman was heard telling him to stop. The next thing she remembered was waking up in Hotak’s house and lying on top of him.
The woman, who managed to escape, appealed to the police. The sample taken from him was later matched with Hotak’s DNA.
In a personal impact statement read to the court, the victim said the attack “left scars all over my life” and led to self-harm and attempted suicide.
“What happened to me destroyed my life in ways I never thought possible. I felt not only violated, but erased,” she said.
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“Since that day, I have lived in fear, shame, silence, and excruciating pain that I cannot fully describe. I felt broken, empty, and terrified of the world around me.”
The Crown Prosecution Service said CCTV footage showed Hotak with the victim at night. Prosecutors told the court he initially denied being the man caught on camera and tried to implicate other members of his family, but investigators ruled out everyone he named.
Sentencing Judge Gary Lucie imposed a 10-year prison sentence with a four-year extended license period. An indefinite restraining order was also imposed and Hotak was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register.
Addressing him in court, the judge said: “You took advantage of the victim, who was very drunk. It is clear that your crime had a serious psychological impact on him, which is likely to last for the rest of his life.”
“I want to express my gratitude to her for her courage in coming forward and getting through what must have been a very difficult time for her.”
Hotak, who is from Afghanistan and was assisted by a Pashto translator in court, was told that the Ministry of Internal Affairs would consider whether he would be deported after his sentence.
