Man jailed for raping woman after night out

A man has been jailed for 10 years for the rape of a "vulnerable intoxicated" woman.

Musafar Hotak, 25, was convicted of rape and sexual assault by penetration following a trial at Southampton Crown Court.

The incident took place in the early hours of 12 July 2022 after the victim had been out at a bar in Southampton.

She told the court the attack "destroyed [her] life" and left her in a state of "constant fear".

The court heard that bouncers told the victim, 24, to leave Cafe Parfait for being drunk.

As she attempted to contact her girlfriend, Hotak, who was 22 at the time, began following her and paying her unwanted attention.

He told the victim he knew her partner, and offered to help reunite them, but instead led her to his own address.

In a voicemail sent from her phone, she could be heard telling him to stop.

The court was told that the next thing the victim remembered was waking up in Hotak's home with him lying on top of her.

After she escaped, she contacted police and a swab taken from her was matched to the defendant's DNA.

Reading her personal impact statement to the court, the victim said the attack had "left scars in every part of [her] life" which had led her to self-harm and an attempt to take her own life.

She said: "What happened to me destroyed my life in ways I never thought possible. I didn't just feel violated, I felt erased.

"Since that day I have lived in fear, shame, silence and unbearable pain that I can't fully describe.

"I was left feeling broken and empty and terrified of the world around me."

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that Hotak, who was captured on CCTV on the night, originally claimed he was not the man seen in the footage and tried to blame members of his family, but investigators ruled out everyone else he named.

Judge Gary Lucie sentenced Hotak to a 10-year prison term with a four-year extended period on licence.

An indefinite restraining order was also imposed and he was placed on the sex offenders' register.

Hotak is a migrant from Afghanistan - information that was released by police consistent with their national guidelines - and was assisted by a Pashto interpreter.

The judge told him that the Home Office would consider whether to deport him.

He added: "You took advantage of the victim who was very drunk. It is obvious your offending has had a severe psychological impact on her which will probably remain with her for the rest of her life.

"I want to pay tribute to her for her bravery in coming forward and going through what must have been a very difficult time for her."

You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.