EMMANUEL MUTANDI AND THE SHOCKING RAPE IN BEDFORD

A man identified as Emmanuel Mutandi, a former engineering student, has been sentenced to eight years in prison after being found guilty of raping a prostitute in a Bedford graveyard. The incident took place in the early hours of Saturday, August 2, 2014, at Bournemouth Crown Court, following a three-day trial that brought to light disturbing details of the assault.

Mutandi, 22 years old at the time, had initially denied the charges, claiming that the sexual encounter was consensual. However, the court found conflicting evidence. The case revealed that Mutandi and his victim, a sex worker who had returned to prostitution after a three-year hiatus due to financial struggles, had engaged in negotiations over payment. Mutandi initially agreed to pay 40 pounds for full sexual intercourse. After they left Southcote Road and reached St Clements Church in Boscombe, Mutandi only had a 20-pound note and informed the woman of this, leading her to proceed with a sex act in exchange for the smaller amount.

Despite her compliance, as the woman attempted to leave after the act, Mutandi seized her and demanded full sex. The assault turned violent, with Mutandi physically battering her and inflicting injuries, including bruising and damage to her teeth. These brutal details emerged during the trial, with Mutandi, who is a Zimbabwean national, admitting during an earlier hearing that he had committed the assault.

The victim was compelled to relive her harrowing experience in court, tearfully telling jurors that she pleaded with Mutandi to kill her quickly, underscoring the severity and brutality of the attack. The defense lawyer, Fern Russell, described the incident as a commercial transaction that gone wrong, asserting that Mutandi reacted in a way that caused harm to his victim and emphasizing that he was not typically prone to such conduct.

Mutandi's background reveals he has been living in the UK since he was nine years old, residing at Walnut Walk in Kempston, Bedfordshire. At the time of the incident, he was studying at Bournemouth University and was in custody as the case was prosecuted. Interestingly, he is currently training to become a pastor while incarcerated.

Judge John Harrow, who sentenced Mutandi, remarked on his intelligence and decent family background, stating that the young man had tarnished his reputation and caused disgrace to his family. The judge highlighted details of the crime, including how Mutandi had gone to a cash machine and taken the victim to a secluded, dark churchyard, where he initially attempted to negotiate the payment. When the victim submitted under duress and feeling threatened, the violent assault ensued.

Following sentencing, Hayley Porter-Straw, the senior crown prosecutor leading the CPS Rape and Serious and Sexual Offences Unit, expressed gratitude to the victim for her bravery in reporting the crime. Her support had been crucial in bringing the case to trial. She added that her thoughts were with the victim and hoped that she could begin to recover from this traumatic experience.