CCTV court ordeal for homeless Oldbury rape victim
A woman has been forced to watch CCTV footage of her being raped by a man who was pretending to help her.
The homeless victim was sleeping in a bus shelter in Oldbury when she was targeted by Mohammed Azim.
He hit her over the head with a bottle, and dragged her to a nearby factory in Churchbridge.
The whole terrifying 25 minute ordeal was captured by security cameras and because Azim denied the offences, the footage was shown to the victim and a jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court during a trial.
Azim, aged 31, formerly of Payne Street, Oldbury, was convicted by the jury of three charges of oral rape. He was jailed for 16 years at Stafford Crown Court by Judge Michael Challinor who branded him 'a danger' to the public.
He told Azim: "Your victim was homeless, had nowhere to live, and spent that night in a bus shelter, with nowhere else to go.
"You saw an opportunity to attack this vulnerable and defenceless woman. There was significant planning involved.
"Having engaged her in conversation, pretending to offer her help, you hit her on the head with a bottle. You could be seen on CCTV dragging her by her hair to nearby factory premises.
"It was a sustained sexual attack, you threatened to kill her – it's quite clear she thought her life was in danger – a horrific and shocking set of offences.
"When you had finished with her, you left her traumatised and frightened.
"In spite of clear evidence at trial, you continued to maintain your innocence. You are lucky to have escaped a mandatory life sentence."
The court heard that Azim had previous convictions for manslaughter and kidnap involving the death of a man in a canal.
Alongside the period in jail, the judge extended Azim's period of licence by four years making the total sentence for the rape offences 20 years, but he will only be released when the parole board consider it is safe.
The defendant's wife had written a letter to the judge asking for mercy on behalf of her now estranged husband, but Judge Challinor said the offences were so serious he could not consider it.
The attack happened in November last year and Azim was found guilty at Wolverhampton Crown Court on May 28.
Miss Amanda O'Mara, defending, said Azim had been drinking and taking cocaine that night.
"These actions that night were complicated or motivated by that cocktail of alcohol and drugs. Something must have triggered his behaviour."
