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A "PREDATORY" man who lured a woman into his van and repeatedly raped her has been jailed for seven and a half years.
Shafiullah Zahid, 33, of Sirdar Road, Southampton, approached the woman, who was alone after a night out in Southampton, and spoke to her.
Southampton Crown Court heard that the victim was offered a lift home by Zahid, before he drove her to an unknown location and attacked her in his vehicle.
Zahid pleaded not guilty but was found guilty of two charges of rape after a trial.
Detective Constable Sue Hampton said: “I would like to commend the woman’s courage for doing what she did and reporting the incident to the police.
"With her help, we have been able to identify a man who’s behaviour we can only describe as predatory.
“From the start, Zahid completely disregarded his crime and at no point has he considered the impact he has had on this woman.
“We want to show you that no matter the circumstances, Hampshire Constabulary is committed to supporting survivors of rape and sexual assault and we will do everything we can to identify offenders and put them in front of a court.”
A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: "If you’ve been the victim, please report rape or sexual assault as soon as possible.
"Even if you’re not 100 per cent sure, we’d sooner hear from you so that we can make sure you’re safe.
"If you’re not ready to talk to the police just yet, that’s OK.
"There are a range of places to get support, advice and medical help.
"You can speak to a number of organisations in confidence and what you tell them won't be shared with the police unless you ask for it to be."