Egyptian man jailed for Hyde Park rape to be deported

An Egyptian man who raped a woman in London's Hyde Park has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years and will be deported after being found to be in the country illegally, a judge at Southwark Crown Court said on Tuesday.

Abdelrahmen Adnan Abouelela, 42, approached the woman as she walked home alone from a night out in central London at about 9 p.m. in November last year, lured her to a secluded spot in the park and raped her, the court heard. Jurors convicted him of one count of rape on May 22.

Judge Gregory Perrins told Abouelela that he had taken advantage of a woman who was "under the influence of alcohol" and vulnerable. "You made the decision to take advantage of her vulnerability," the judge said. "You were driven purely by your own sexual desires. You simply did not care that she could not consent: you just took what you wanted."

The court was told Abouelela's address had been given as a Hilton hotel in Ealing, west London. He arrived in the United Kingdom in April 2023 and claimed asylum, saying he feared persecution in Egypt where he said he had been held as a political prisoner and tortured. His wife and son currently live in Turkey, the court heard.

Defence counsel Kane Sharpe told the court that Abouelela had been diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder and complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Judge Perrins said he considered those factors to be minimal mitigation and added that there was "little connection between those circumstances and your decision to rape the victim on that night." The judge said it appeared the defendant did not accept responsibility for his actions.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, gave evidence at trial. Judge Perrins commended her for her "immense bravery and courage" in doing so.

Because Abouelela received a prison sentence of more than 12 months, an automatic deportation order will be made under the UK Borders Act 2007, the judge said. The court did not set a separate deportation date; immigration authorities will be responsible for action following the custodial sentence.

The case was reported in national media; a request for a custody image of Abouelela was made to the Metropolitan Police, according to reporting by one outlet. Police statements, immigration paperwork and any subsequent Home Office action have not been published in court proceedings made public on Tuesday.

Abouelela remains in custody. The sentencing follows the May conviction and closes the criminal proceedings in relation to the assault; any future immigration or asylum appeals would be handled separately by the Home Office and immigration tribunals.