Knifepoint rapist jailed for 18 years for attacking woman in Portsmouth

Cocaine-fuelled Israel Olabode burst into the victim’s flat armed with a bread knife and an electronic tablet playing pornographic videos - holding the knife to her throat before ripping her clothes off and demanding she copy a sex act in the film on him.

The trainee dock worker, 25, had already pushed her onto a bed, cutting her hand and sending blood spraying into the room when she struggled to free the knife from his grip in a bid to stop the horrific attack.

Drunken Olabode, who emerged from the cells wearing rosary beads, raped her while watching the video on his tablet treating her as nothing more than an ‘object’.

He rained down punches on his victim after raping her and repeatedly shouted: ‘I’m going to kill you.’

The Londoner, who was previously jailed for theft, dragged the woman to her flatmate’s bedroom threatening to rape her again in front of the second woman and then kill them both.

The attack only stopped when a light was switched on and the grotesque blood-covered scene brought Olabode ‘to his senses,’ the judge said.

Jailing the blank-faced defendant for 16 years with a two-year extended community licence, judge William Ashworth said: ‘The terror of the rape itself was prolonged.’

The judge added: ‘You were described as being entirely emotionless... she knew instantly that you were going to rape her.’

In the victim’s statement, read by prosecutor Gemma White at Portsmouth Crown Court, the woman revealed how she felt ‘empty and dead’ and now sees all men as sexual predators.

The woman, in her 20s, said she had been very sociable and cheerful but in her statement she said: ‘I lost that light in me.’

She said: ‘I did not want to smile, eat...  I didn’t want to see myself in the mirror because I didn’t recognise myself because of all the bruises.

‘I isolated myself from everyone because inside I felt empty and dead.’

She added: ‘I don’t see men as men any more, I see them as predators - I know it’s wrong but can you blame me?’

The victim said she felt ‘embarrassed, used’ and felt she had to give evidence against Olabode to protect other women he may target in future.

The woman, who cannot be named, said: ‘I’m fighting to love myself again, he made me feel like I’m an object.’

She added: ‘It’s a constant battle every day when I try to forget it but I can’t - it will stay with me for the rest of my life. If you want to be happy you can be but you can’t be the same person as you were.’

Olabode, of Fulwell Avenue, Ilford, Essex, was found guilty by a jury two rapes, unlawful wounding by slashing the victim’s fingers, assault by beating by elbowing the flatmate in the face and assault occasioning actual bodily harm from the punches to the victim’s face.

He denied the charges - but was spotted on CCTV fleeing Portsmouth on a train to London just hours after the incident.

The court heard he was on licence for a 26-week theft jail term and had been moved to Portsmouth for training as part of his licence.

At his sentencing hearing it emerged Olabode had been ‘sexually pestering’ another woman on the night of the attack but had been rejected by her - prompting him to be ‘determined’ to target his eventual victim.

Probation ruled the defendant poses a high risk to members of the public unless he accepts what he did - but Olabode point blank refuses.

John Dyer, mitigating, said: ‘His case is still that he didn’t commit the offences.

‘However, he has communicated the fact that he very much regrets what has happened to them.

‘That might sound hollow but at the same time it shows that he is not completely insensitive.’

Olabode’s DNA was found on the woman - prompting him to claim they had consensual sex six days prior to the violent rape. A jury rejected his claim.

Giving evidence at his trial, Olabode had told jurors he was a feminist and the allegations were a conspiracy.

Speaking about the victim, he said: ‘She is making it all up. She attacked me. I’m a feminist. I wouldn’t do this. I have love in my heart. I need to show everyone.’

Olabode must sign the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Investigating officer PC Sonia Judkins said: ‘I’m really pleased with the sentence, which reflects the severity of this particularly violent and disturbing rape.

‘I would like to thank the victim for her courage throughout this investigation and while giving evidence in court.

‘I would also like to extend my thanks to her family and friends for the support they have shown the victim during this difficult time, as well as to Treetops for their incredible service.

‘I hope the result will help the victim put this ordeal behind her and to help her move forward with her life.

‘We encourage anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence to contact us on 101 and speak with an officer in confidence.’

- Female victims can call Portsmouth Area Rape and Abuse Counselling Service (Parcs) on (023) 9266 9511 and men can call (023) 9266 9516.

Call the sexual assault referral centre, Treetops, on 0300 123 5661. For more see parcs.org.uk and treetopscentre.co.uk