Locations
Hilton Hotel, Ealing, West London, W5
Description
An asylum seeker who raped a woman in Hyde Park has been jailed for eight and a half years.
Abdelrahmen Adnan Abouelela, a married father of one, approached her in the central London park as she was walking home alone from a night out in November 2024. He then lured his victim to a secluded spot where he raped her.
Abouelela, who claims he was held as a political prisoner and tortured in Egypt, is in the UK illegally, Judge Gregory Perrins told Southwark Crown Court.
Judge Perrins told the 42-year-old defendant, whose address was given as a hotel in Ealing, west London: "You were driven purely by your own sexual desires."
Automatic deportation order
"It must have been obvious to you that she was a woman under the influence of alcohol who was alone and vulnerable," Judge Perrins told the court.
"You made the decision to take advantage of her vulnerability."
Judge Perrins added: "You simply did not care that she could not consent: you just took what you wanted."
Abouelela arrived in the UK in April 2023 and claimed asylum for fear of persecution in his home country of Egypt, the court was told.
His wife and son currently live in Turkey, the court heard.
Judge Perrins commended the victim for her "immense bravery and courage" in giving evidence during Abouelela's trial at the same court earlier this year.
Jurors found Abouelela guilty of one count of rape on 22 May.
Because he was given a prison sentence of more than 12 months, he will be subject to an automatic deportation order.