A North London man has been jailed for raping a woman he groomed and controlled, police say. Hamed Kianipanah, 36, of Brook Road, Brent, got nine years, plus three years on licence, for raping a woman at an address in Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, in 2022. Kianipanah was convicted on June 5 and sentenced on Monday (July 28) at Teesside Crown Court.
The court heard Kianipanah befriended his victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, while living in the Stockton area as he waited for the outcome of his asylum application, reports The Northern Echo. Kianipanah groomed and controlled the woman around the time of the rape, the trial heard. The survivor reported the sex attack to North Yorkshire Police in 2023.
Temporary Detective Sergeant Quita Readman said: “When she felt ready to do so, she bravely approached the police and disclosed what had happened to her. She also got access to a range of professional support and care that is readily available to all survivors of rape and sexual assaults.”
TD Readman continued: “With her support, we carried out a thorough investigation capturing the whole story of the grooming stages Kianipanah engaged in before and after the rape, maintaining a level of control over the survivor.
“The jury heard the compelling evidence, and they returned a unanimous guilty verdict against the defendant.
“I have nothing but praise for the bravery of the survivor in this case. It also shows it is never too late to make a report to the police and seek support from the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) and organisations such as IDAS.
“We are here to help you – please don’t hesitate to get in touch.”
As well as the custodial sentence, Kianipanah has also been placed on the Register of Sex Offenders and been made subject of a restraining order.
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