Chewe Chitalu, the Preston Rapist, sexually assaulted and raped a young woman while she was returning home from an evening in Preston. He was incarcerated for 13 years yesterday.
In August 2022, the victim was socialising in Preston throughout the evening. During the evening, she was escorted to Chewe Chitalu’s van, where she was sexually raped. The woman subsequently regained consciousness in Chitalu’s bedroom, where she was assaulted sexually.
The violations were reported to us, and an inquiry was initiated.
Chewe Chitalu, 32, of Mountbatten Close, Preston, was apprehended on suspicion of, and subsequently charged with, rape, assault by penetration, and sexual assault.
He was convicted after a trial and received a sentence of 13 years. Chewe Chitalu was mandated to register as a sex offender for life.
In a victim impact statement, the victim said: “My love for life has completely disappeared since the incident and moving on from this terrible thing that has happened to me has proven to be extremely hard and frustrating. The way I live my life has changed so much since this happened but I am hopeful the ending of this trial will offer me some sort of closure so I can begin to move on with my life.”
She continued: “Before the incident I had a carefree life, just like any young girl, I would go out with my friends and enjoy my time. I felt safe walking down the street and I never thought that I could be a victim of rape. However, since it happened, I cannot live normally anymore. I never go out with my friends, because I constantly think that it could happen again, that another man that I don’t know could take advantage of me when I am in a vulnerable state.”
DS Laura Lawson of our South Rape And Serious Sexual Offences team said: “The judge commended the victim for her bravery and strength shown throughout this process, and I can only echo his sentiments.
“The victim didn’t consent. Chewe Chitalu took advantage of her vulnerability, and raped and sexually assaulted her for his own gratification.
“He is a despicable man, and I hope that the knowledge that he is behind bars will offer the victim some sense of closure.
“If you have been a victim of any sexual offence, please get in touch. We will listen to you, we will investigate thoroughly, and we will do all we can to get you justice.”
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.