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Search forIraqi man jailed for 5 years for raping Bristol prostitute
Friday, October 10, 2008, 08:00
Kamal Ibrahim admitted having sex with the victim at his flat in Fishponds Road but denied rape.
In August, a jury of 7 men and 5 women found the 23-year-old guilty by a majority of 10 to 2 after deliberating for just over four hours.
Imposing sentence, Judge John Foley told Ibrahim: "You gave the jury a ridiculous series of lies which they had no difficulty in rejecting.
"All women are entitled to the protection of the courts, be they office workers, lawyers, or prostitutes.
"Having seen the victim it was evident that she had been traumatised and greatly upset by what happened and she had to relive her experience in court."
The Judge did concede the rape was not premeditated, it was short- lived and Ibrahim used a condom to start with.
Recommending Ibrahim for deportation to his native Iraq the judge added: "I am satisfied your presence in this country is not conducive to the welfare of this country and I am told that you agree with that."
The sex worker told the jury she was walking towards Heath Street around 1am in November last year when Ibrahim, who she had done business with before, asked her to go back to his house on Fishponds Road.
She said they agreed sex for £20 but after intercourse she became very anxious.
She told the jury: "He started getting a bit heavy-handed.
"He had me round the neck and I was shouting at him to get off."
The woman who told the court she'd been a sex worker since she was 15, said Ibrahim then forced her to have unprotected sex.
She said that afterwards he grabbed her by her wrist hard, said he wanted the money and threw a glass at her.
She then proceeded to tell the court: "I got the glass and held it back against him.
"He picked up a cup and threw it at my face and it bounced off the wall."
She added that, leaving her jacket and £20 behind, she ran away and smashed Ibrahim's front door with her umbrella before finding a policeman.
Edward Burgess, defending, told the court Ibrahim had originally arranged to go to Eastville Park with the woman but because there was a van nearby which they suspected was police they went to his home.
He stressed his client wore protection to start with and at the beginning intimacy had been consentual.
The court heard Ibrahim had no record for sexual offences and he wanted to return to Iraq.
Detective Constable Sam Donati was pleased with the sentence and felt justice had been done.
He said Ibrahim, who was traced by DNA, had refused to admit guilt and his conviction was the direct result of the victim's brave attendance at court.
He said the victim had turned her life around and had made positive steps to escape the cycle of drugs and prostitution which traps so many vulnerable young women today.
He told the Bristol Evening Post: "This case should send out a strong message, firstly to the silent victims of sexual assault that regardless of your background or circumstances, trust us.
"Tell us what happened, and we will listen, we will investigate and wherever possible we will convict those responsible.
"Men who pick up prostitutes from the streets of Bristol would know that such activity is illegal and police in Bristol work constantly to combat it through both high profile and covert enforcement.
"Being a prostitute does not remove every woman's fundamental right to say no and for this answer to be respected."
