Ian Ochieng 30

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A man convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in Bristol city centre has been jailed.

A judge concluded that Ian Ochieng, a paranoid schizophrenic, targeted two women three days apart in June 2019.

He took his first victim to a secluded spot and forced himself on her in an assault lasting some 30 minutes.

And he approached his second, equally vulnerable victim and touched her inappropriately, Bristol Crown Court heard.

Ochieng, 27, of Saltmarsh Drive in Lawrence Weston, denied wrongdoing.

But a jury convicted him of rape and sexual assault by penetration.

Judge William Hart handed him a 16-year extended sentence, comprising of 12 years' custody and four years' extended licence.

Ochieng has to serve two-thirds of the custodial term before the parole board considers his fitness for release.

The judge told him: "I regard you as a dangerous, predatory individual and a threat to women."

Ochieng was barred from working with vulnerable adults and children and ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

A jury heard the first victim left her friends and was in Horsefair when Ochieng took her behind Poundland and raped her.

In interview she said: "All I remember is that it really hurt and then I ended up running off and I was trying to put my clothes back on, but I couldn’t because it was raining."

As she walked home in a state of partial undress she encountered four friends who came to her aid, the court heard.

They called an ambulance and she ultimately gave an account of being sexually assaulted.

An examination at the Bridge noted injuries and DNA matched the profile of Ochieng.

Three days later Ochieng approached a second woman who either passed out or fell asleep outside a Bristol nightclub.

The jury heard he put his hand in her underwear and groped her.

Sarah Regan, prosecuting, read an impact statement from the first complainant, who outlined the serious anxiety and relationship difficulties she suffered as a result of her ordeal and asked: "I'd like to know what right this person thought he had to take me off the street and rape me?"

The second complainant pondered: "I ask myself if he was attracted by drunken women; I did not lead him on at all."

Miss Regan said other woman had reported sexual assaults by Ochieng - but he was either acquitted of wrongdoing or matters were not pursued.

Jennifer Tallentire, defending, said her client is a paranoid schizophrenic, who had undergone mental health treatment, and whose sexual inhibition is less prevalent when he is well.

She told the court in June 2019 his mental health deteriorated, however.

Miss Tallentire said that during that time he was suffering from "paranoid feelings" which included fears someone was going to shoot him and a belief he had a GPS device in his stomach.

She conceded that her client was smoking cannabis when he assaulted the second complainant.

Acting Detective Inspector Mark Newbury said: “In 22 years of policing I think this is one of the most important convictions I have been involved in.

“Ian Ochieng is every woman’s worst nightmare. He’s an extremely dangerous individual and the public are without doubt much safer with him behind bars.

“He actively searched the streets of Bristol looking for women to target before subjecting them to quite horrific ordeals.

“Both victims demonstrated immense bravery and courage in giving evidence at court and I’d like to thank them for helping us to ensure Ochieng no longer poses a threat to others.

“I’d also like to praise the work of my team in securing this conviction. Their determination and commitment to obtain justice for both victims was truly outstanding and they are a credit to the police force and the communities they work so hard to protect.”