COSTACHE FROM BASINGSTOKE SENTENCED FOR ATTEMPTED RAPE AND ASSAULT ON TWO WOMEN

In a disturbing incident that unfolded in the early hours of a Saturday morning in Basingstoke, a man identified as Costache-Flaviuis Ruset, aged 30, was convicted and subsequently sentenced to a lengthy prison term for a series of violent crimes against two women. The events took place on Timberlake Road, where Ruset's actions shocked the local community and prompted a swift police response.

According to court records, the incident was first brought to the attention of authorities through the vigilant monitoring of the town’s CCTV cameras. At precisely 4:31 a.m. on Saturday, 18 February, a CCTV operator observed a suspicious scene involving a man and two women. The footage showed Ruset pulling one of the women to the ground and beginning to assault her, prompting the CCTV operator to immediately alert police via the direct police radio link. This quick action played a crucial role in the subsequent police response.

The court heard that the two women, both in their twenties, had been walking home after a night out in Basingstoke. During their walk, one of the women stopped momentarily to retrieve an item they had accidentally dropped. While she was waiting on Timberlake Road, she was approached by an unknown man, later identified as Ruset. Without warning, Ruset pushed her to the ground and attempted to carry out a sexual assault, specifically an attempted rape. Fortunately, the woman’s friend returned to her side moments later, which caused Ruset to cease his assault and get up.

As the two women began to walk away from the scene, Ruset did not desist. Instead, he ran up behind them and violently kicked the friend in her back, causing her to fall to the ground. The assault escalated as Ruset stamped on her head and punched her multiple times while she was incapacitated. The first woman, witnessing her friend's assault, was also attacked; Ruset turned his attention to her and assaulted her, causing her to fall to the ground as well.

Police sirens and flashing blue lights soon appeared on the scene, prompting Ruset to flee the area. Officers in pursuit chased him through the streets, with the CCTV operator continuing to track his movements via the surveillance cameras. The operator provided real-time commentary to the officers, guiding them as Ruset sought refuge behind some commercial bins in Feathers Yard. The police managed to arrest him at 4:36 a.m., just five minutes after the initial incident was reported.

Following his arrest, Ruset was taken into custody and charged with multiple serious offenses. He appeared before Winchester Crown Court on 22 March, where he admitted to the charges. The court found him guilty of attempted rape, assault by penetration, attempted grievous bodily harm (GBH), and actual bodily harm (ABH). Today, the court sentenced him to nine years in prison, with an extended license period of six years, bringing the total potential period of supervision and incarceration to fifteen years. Ruset, who resides on Marks Lane in Basingstoke, now faces a lengthy period of incarceration as a consequence of his violent actions against the two women in the early hours of that February morning.