A man, Rashane Lee, has received a 13-year prison sentence for two charges of rape following an investigation by Metropolitan detectives.
Rashane Lee, 26, (21.08.98), of Old Kent Road, Southwark, asserted that the DNA identified by police and subsequently confirmed by forensic investigation as belonging to him had altered. He further asserted that the evidence samples were either compromised or defective.
Detective Constable Jack Woods, who spearheaded the investigation, stated: “This verdict attests to the courage of the victim, whose testimony facilitated this conviction.”
“Notwithstanding Rashane Lee’s ludicrous assertions that the DNA obtained was either tainted or not his, the jury discerned the truth, culminating in today’s protracted sentence.
“Rashane Lee is a highly perilous individual who intentionally targeted a solitary woman, anticipating that her inebriation would render her too disoriented to report to law enforcement.” This was not the situation, and despite his hubris, his culpability was indisputable.
“We anticipate that this outcome illustrates our unwavering commitment to treating victim-survivors’ accounts with utmost seriousness, and our dedication to ensuring that offenders, such as Rashane Lee, are removed from society.”
The court was informed that on 1 June 2024, the victim-survivor had spent the day in Central London with her sister and friends. While returning home shortly after 23:00, she was approached by Rashane Lee. He initiated a conversation with her and proposed to escort her home, asserting that they resided in a comparable direction. The victim-survivor endeavoured to discourage him; nonetheless, he persisted, subsequently taking her to a private location and assaulting her sexually.
Subsequent to notifying the authorities about the incident, officers promptly reviewed CCTV footage to identify the perpetrator. Forensic analysis identified a match for Rashane Lee, with a chance of one billion to one.
Subsequently, Rashane Lee was promptly located by officers at his partner’s residence and apprehended on 11 June 2024. Notwithstanding the substantial DNA evidence, Lee vehemently refuted the rape allegation throughout the interview, asserting that the samples were erroneous or compromised in the laboratory. Lee asserted that his DNA must have altered and that he had never encountered the victim.
Notwithstanding this, he was indicted on 12 June 2024 and, after a trial at Inner London Crown Court, was convicted on 23 December 2024 following less than two hours of deliberation.
At the day of his apprehension, Lee was listed as a registered sex offender. He admitted guilt for violating its stipulations. He was convicted of rape in 2016 under circumstances very comparable to those of the event in June. The Probation Service conducted the primary monitoring of Lee, while the Met Jigsaw team provided supplementary oversight.
Rashane Lee was liberated from incarceration in September 2022. In addition to a 13-year prison sentence, Lee’s licence will be extended by seven years.
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