A Rapist from Brighton, Ramees Akkara, has been incarcerated for raping a female student after she was dropped off by a cab en route to her residence.
Ramees Akkara, 28, of Upper Bevendean Avenue, Brighton, was convicted by a jury at Hove Crown Court on Wednesday, March 30, following the assault in September of the previous year.
Sentenced to eight years in prison, Ramees Akkara, 28, will also be registered on the lifetime sex offenders’ list.
in Wednesday, 22 September, shortly before midnight, Ramees Akkara’s victim, a lady in her twenties, was deposited by a cab in The Avenue, Brighton.
Approximately three hours later, the victim’s friend alerted the police after receiving a troubling video call from her in an unidentified place, featuring a man who was subsequently recognised as Ramees Akkara.
Fortunately, her companion possessed the sense to document the call.
At 2:40 AM, police arrived at the victim’s residence following her solitary return home, initiating an investigation due to suspicions of a potential sexual assault.
The victim received assistance from specialised officers while evidence was collected; nonetheless, the victim’s whereabouts during the occurrence and the crime site remained unidentified.
In the subsequent days, detectives conducted thorough investigations, aided by several specialist officers, while teams executed door-to-door enquiries in the Upper Bevendean Avenue vicinity.
On Friday, October 1, detectives accessed an unsecured property on Upper Bevendean Avenue and designated it as a crime scene upon recognising it from the recorded video call.
A scene guard was established, and within 24 hours, five individuals who returned to the premises were apprehended on suspicion of rape.
All five individuals were interviewed within the subsequent 24 hours.
Following the expedited DNA test findings, a forensic sample collected from the victim corresponded with the DNA of one of the suspects, Ramees Akkara, who was subsequently re-arrested as investigations progressed.
On Monday, October 4, he was charged with rape and held in detention until his trial commenced on Tuesday, March 22.
On Wednesday, March 30, a jury unanimously convicted Ramees Akkara of rape, resulting in an eight-year prison sentence. He will additionally be registered as a lifelong sex offender.
Detective Chief Inspector Jon Gillings stated: “This was an exceedingly distressing case for the young woman involved, who became a victim of a predatory offender in Ramees Akkara.”
“I would like to personally thank her for the incredible bravery she showed in supporting the investigation, which included giving evidence in court under extremely stressful circumstances. Without her courage and support, this conviction would not have been possible.
“My thanks also go out to her quick-thinking friend who recorded the call, and to all of the people who helped to secure this conviction.
“It was an incredible display of teamwork and I feel hugely proud to have worked with the individuals on this case. Many worked extended hours, putting their home lives second to identifying and charging a dangerous male who is now, due to their actions, no longer on the streets.”
Superintendent Adele Tucknott, Sussex Police’s lead for violence against women and girls, said: “Every woman has the right to enjoy a night out safely and be free to get home without falling victim to a dangerous predator like Ramees Akkara.
“As a force, clamping down on violence against women and girls in all its forms remains at the very top of our list of priorities and the speed and quality of this investigation shows how seriously we take any such reports.
“Our message to victims of rape and other sexual offences is clear – you will be believed and supported, and we will work tirelessly to bring any perpetrators to justice.
“I too would like to thank the victim in this case for her incredible bravery in supporting this investigation and helping to bring her attacker to 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.