A 31 year-old man from Portsmouth has been sentenced to six years in prison for raping a 19-year-old woman in an alleyway off of Clarendon Road, Southsea on Saturday 29 August 2020.
The victim was attacked and raped by a man she did not know in the alleyway at around 10pm.
After a thorough and complex investigation by officers from Portsmouth’s Amberstone team, Muhib Uddin of Newcomen Road was charged and subsequently pleaded guilty to rape at Portsmouth Crown Court on Wednesday 10 November.
Yesterday (Wednesday 13 January) he was sentenced to six years in prison.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Emma Crute said: “We are pleased that the victim has found justice now that Uddin is behind bars.
“I hope the outcome of this case reassures members of the public that we take allegations of this type of offence extremely seriously, and will do everything in our power to bring offenders before the courts.
“This has understandably been a traumatic time for the victim who has been supported by specialist officers at every stage of our investigation. I would like to commend her for her bravery and courage in coming forward and reporting what happened. I hope that today’s sentence will give her some closure and help her to begin moving forward in her life.”
Portsmouth Chief Inspector Robert Mitchell said: “The officers involved in this case have worked extremely hard to bring the investigation to the point we have reached today. I would like to thank them for their dedication to securing this outcome for the victim.
“Stranger assaults of this nature are rare, and I hope the community feels reassured that when we receive these sorts of allegations, we will take them seriously and do everything in our power to bring those responsible to justice.
“We work very hard in Portsmouth to tackle sexual offences in partnership with organisations that support survivors. We want you to have the confidence to come forward and talk to us if something has happened to you, or somebody you know.”
We encourage anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence to contact us on 101 and speak with an officer in confidence.
You can find our more about the support available to victims of sexual offences here: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/support-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault/
