Farzad Shabani 33

Description

Manipulative Farzad Shabani's despicable behaviour exposed in powerful court speech by the student he left devastated

A rapist continued his attack through the tears of a student before waging a campaign of manipulation to prevent her from seeking justice.

Farzad Shabani fought through her efforts to push him away then shamelessly became angry at her devastation following the assault.

He then tried to convince her the assault was her fault before putting her through the ordeal of hearing him lie through a trial.

Shabani carried out his attack in the early hours of the morning at a university halls of residence in Liverpool.

Nicola Daley, prosecuting, said: "He had sexual intercourse with her at a time that she was not consenting... even when she was telling him to stop and pushed him away with her arms he carried on regardless."

Ms Daley added: "She described how the defendant didn't even seem to notice when she was crying when the sexual intercourse was continuing. She indicated how the defendant appeared to get cross with her for being upset afterwards."

In a brave statement to Liverpool Crown Court, the student told how she pushed her family away because she was too ashamed to tell them, while she said Shabani "gaslighted and manipulated" her, adding: "He convinced me that I deserved it, that it was my fault."

The 30-year-old's crime had a severe impact psychologically and physically, with the court hearing she initially existed solely in "survival mode".

She said: "I considered dropping out of university and I think a lot of people expected me to.

"There were days I could not get out of bed because I did not want to face anyone."

In the aftermath, Shabani launched a vindictive social media campaign that included the creation of a fake Instagram profile through which he sought to provoke the student in an attempt to make her write responses he could use to undermine her.

Meanwhile she became paranoid and scared, fearing he would have her followed.

Her powerful speech told of the strength she had mustered to report her attacker to police and reach the realisation she was not to blame: "I still felt almost guilty for telling my truth... It took a while for me to come to terms with the fact he had put himself in this position and what had happened to me was his fault despite what he had conditioned my mind to believe."

Peter Killen, defending, told the court: "Any offence of this type always inflicts serious harm on any victim... The sole mitigating factor is the defendant is a man of previous good character."

Passing sentence, Judge Brian Cummings, QC, described Shabani's attack and following behaviour as "appalling".

He told the court : "I make it clear that I sentence you on the basis of [the student's] evidence. The jury plainly accepted it. So do I.

"The factual basis on which I sentence you is one of which I am sure."

The judge continued: "You have shown an utter disregard for anyone but yourself.

"You have presented as manipulative and controlling and for having an inflated regard for your own personal dignity yet none for anyone else's."

Shabani, of Rectory Road, in the Crumpsall area of Manchester, was sentenced to six and a half years in jail and made the subject of a restraining order for life.