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Mehmet Bulut, 31, jailed for six years after attempted rape of woman in Hereford – faces deportation
A 31-year-old Turkish-Kurd man who arrived in the UK by small boat has been sentenced to six years in prison for the attempted rape of a woman in Hereford.
Mehmet Bulut, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at Worcester Crown Court to one count of attempted rape. Judge Simon Drew KC sentenced him to six years’ imprisonment plus three years’ extended licence and classed him as a dangerous offender. The judge said the CCTV of the attack on the mature woman was shocking and his actions were terrifying. The court was told it was the judge’s understanding that Bulut, an absconder whose asylum claim had been withdrawn, would be deported.
Bulut arrived in the UK on a small boat on Boxing Day 2022. Immigration authorities later withdrew his asylum application for non-compliance.
In the early hours of 2 August, at around 4am, Bulut followed a woman near a subway in Hereford. He carried out a violent and sustained attack in which he removed some of her clothing while attempting to rape her. After initially walking away he returned and attacked her again. The victim told him to “f*** off”; he replied “just sex, just sex”. The incident was captured on CCTV.
Bulut was arrested later the same day after police received information he was working at a restaurant called Grillology. He told officers he had been “incredibly drunk”, having drunk from a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, and was shocked by what the CCTV showed. When asked if he had been trying to rape the victim he said: “I don’t know, I don’t know, I swear to God I don’t know. If you bring her here, I will kiss her hands and feet and ask for forgiveness.”
Defence barrister Dean Easthope said the hand-and-foot comment was a cultural expression of remorse rather than sexual, and that Bulut was disgusted, embarrassed and felt terrible. He had no previous convictions and a difficult upbringing. The defence noted that Bulut had suggested drunkenness might be some form of justification, but argued it in fact made matters worse.
The case has been added to our sex offenders database. Bulut is a convicted sex offender serving a determinate sentence with extended licence and is expected to be deported on release.