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Man jailed for 13 years for raping woman in Birmingham city centre

A man has been jailed for 13 years after he launched a violent sex attack on a stranger in Birmingham city centre.

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Farirai Shereni

Farirai Shereni, 25, attacked the woman as she made her way to work at around 4.30am on November 6, last year.

Shereni was using a phone charging point near to McDonald's in Dale End, when he spotted the woman and asked her for help.

But moments later he launched a violent attack, forcing the woman towards an underpass in Bull Street where he raped her.

When she managed to escape Shereni's grip, she ran to safety and rang her partner for help, who then rang West Midlands Police.

Officers met the woman in Bull Street, where she was able to provide a detailed description of her attacked. Officers flooded the area and picked up Shereni on CCTV – who matched the woman's description exactly – and arrested him 15 minutes after the attack, at 4.45am.

Parts of the violent attack were caught on CCTV and were put to Shereni during interview – and although he admitted it was him in the footage, he claimed he and the woman "got along" and "connected" and agreed to have sex under the bridge.

But a jury at Birmingham Crown Court took just over two hours to find him guilty on two counts of rape and one of sexual assault.

Shereni was sentenced to 13 years in prison on Friday. He will have to serve at least two-thirds of his jail term before being considered for parole and on his eventual release, will be put on extended licence for five years.

Detective Constable Lyndsey Davenport, who investigated the case, said: "Shereni tried to discredit the woman’s account, but evidence uncovered as part of the investigation clearly shows his account was completely untrue.

"The woman showed great courage in coming forward and without her bravery and support we may not have been able to bring him to justice.

"He now faces many years behind bars and I hope this will provide some sense of justice to the woman and her loved ones."

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