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AN asylum seeker who entered the UK illegally has been jailed for raping a woman as she walked home from a night out.
Abdelrahmen Adnan Abouelela was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison for the horrific attack in Hyde Park, central London.
The married father-of-one, 42, approached the victim as she was walking alone at around 9pm in November last year.
Southwark Crown Court heard Abouelela, who is in the country illegally, lured her to a secluded spot in the park, where he raped her.
He first arrived in the UK in April 2023 and claimed asylum for fear of persecution in Egypt – his home country.
Abouelela, whose address was given as a Hilton hotel in Ealing, west London, claims he was held as a political prisoner and tortured.
His wife and son currently live in Turkey, the court heard.
“You thought absolutely nothing of her,”.
Handing down his judgement, Judge Gregory Perrins said Abouelela “did not care” about his “vulnerable” victim.
He added: “It must have been obvious to you that she was a woman under the influence of alcohol who was alone and vulnerable.
“You made the decision to take advantage of her vulnerability.
“You were driven purely by your own sexual desires. You simply did not care that she could not consent: you just took what you wanted.”
Defence barrister Kane Sharpe said Abouelela was later diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder and complex PTSD.
But Judge Perrins said the connection between the diagnosis and the crime was “minimal”.
Judge Perrins, continued: “There is little connection between those circumstances and your decision to rape the victim on that night.
“It’s clear to me you do not believe you have done anything wrong.”
The judge further commended the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, for her “immense bravery and courage”.
She had previoulsy given evidence during Abouelela’s trial at Southwark Crown Court earlier this year.
In May, jurors found Abouelela guilty of one count of rape.
He will be subject to an automatic deportation order under the UK Borders Act 2007.
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