Locations
Leacroft Road, Derby, Derby City, DE23
Description
A man has been jailed after he followed a young woman out of a Derby fast food restaurant and attempted to rape her.
Ivan Godla spotted the woman in the McDonalds on Osmaston Park Road on the evening of 19 November last year.
The 24-year-old then followed her down Portland Street before trying to speak to her and exposing himself.
The woman carried on walking and crossed the road to get away from Godla, but he continued to follow her before pushing her to the ground and trying to rape her.
The woman managed to fight Godla off and ran away, before calling police.
Godla was arrested on 21 November and was subsequently charged and remanded.
Godla, of Leacroft Road, Derby admitted charges of sexual assault and sexual exposure but initially denied a charge of attempted rape.
He eventually admitted attempted rape on the day of trial, in May this year.
He was sentenced at a hearing at Derby Crown Court on Tuesday 23 September, with a judge ordering him to serve a prison term of 8 years and 1 month.
Detective Constable Spibey, officer in the case, said:
“This was a calculated and predatory attack on young woman.
“No woman or girl should be made to feel unsafe for fear of violence, whether they are walking home, at home, or at work.
“Thankfully this kind of stranger attack is rare, but we are committed to weeding out those who commit any acts of sexual violence and will do everything we can to ensure that justice is served against perpetrators.
“This was a complex investigation, and I would like to thank the members of the public in the Portland Street area who assisted police by providing CCTV footage. This footage allowed us to build a timeline of events which assisted with us securing a charge against Ivan Godla.
“Most importantly I want to express my thanks to the victim in this case, who bravely came forward and recounted the details of this incident.
“Her courage throughout the investigation has been commendable.
“Godla is now off the streets, and our communities are that bit safer.”