IONUT TORODOC SHOCKS LEICESTER WITH VILE SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN EAST LEAKE VILLAGE
A delivery driver from Leicester, Ionut Torodoc, has been convicted of committing a series of disturbing sexual assaults against women in the small Nottinghamshire village of East Leake over a span of just two days.The heinous acts, which included inappropriate touching, kissing, grabbing, and even taking a photograph of one of his victims, have left the community and authorities deeply unsettled.
The court proceedings revealed a pattern of predatory behavior that has now resulted in a significant prison sentence and a lengthy period on the sex offender register.
Torodoc, who resides on Stuart Street in Leicester's Westcotes area, was identified as the perpetrator through a series of incidents that took place in East Leake.
The first assault occurred on Tuesday, May 21, when he parked his van in front of a woman’s car during a parcel delivery.
According to the court, the woman, who had her nine-year-old son in the vehicle, recognized Torodoc and stepped out of her car to retrieve her parcel.
During this encounter, Torodoc made inappropriate comments, calling her a “beautiful girl,” and attempted to kiss her.
The woman, visibly shocked, quickly returned to her vehicle, but Torodoc did not leave her alone.
Instead, he entered her car and sat in the front passenger seat, telling her to “let’s go,” and then turned to her son, remarking, “your mum is very beautiful.” After this, he exited the vehicle, making a dismissive comment about her parcel deliveries.
Less than half an hour later, Torodoc was seen delivering another parcel in the same village.
When a female resident answered her door, he placed the parcel on the ground and, as she bent to pick it up, he placed his hand on her thigh, complimenting her on a “nice tattoo.” The situation escalated when he pushed his hand further up her thigh and attempted to grab her shorts.
Prosecutors stated that Torodoc then claimed he needed to take a photograph, and he proceeded to take a picture from above, which was not of the parcel but of her body.
He justified this by saying, “I had to get your legs in.” The third victim was at her workplace when Torodoc arrived with a delivery, claiming to be unwell.
He was offered water and food, and during his visit, he kissed one of the female workers on the cheek before attempting to kiss her on the mouth.
The court heard that he tried to put his tongue in her mouth, but she clenched her teeth to prevent this from happening, feeling uncomfortable and threatened.
Later that same day, at East Leake Leisure Centre, another woman was approached by Torodoc shortly after he had made a delivery.
He grabbed her and tried to pull her close, an act that left her feeling frightened and violated.
The following day, on Wednesday, May 22, Torodoc targeted a 17-year-old girl who was walking to her place of work.
He pulled up alongside her in his van, asked her for a light, and then grabbed her hand.
When she tried to walk away, he followed her, winding down his window to say, “where do you work, I will take you, get in.” The girl, distressed by the encounter, told him to “get away from me,” and upon reaching her workplace, she suffered a panic attack and was sent home.
Additional details from the court revealed that prior to the incidents in East Leake, Torodoc had also been involved in an incident at a Leicester Tesco Express.
He was seen picking up a boy at a self-service checkout with his mother.
The boy’s mother demanded that he put her son down, indicating her disapproval of his actions, and Torodoc walked away from the scene.
During the hearing, Emma Coverley, representing the defendant, explained that Torodoc has a wife and son in Romania.
She added that at the time of the offenses, his wife had expressed her desire to end their relationship.
She also noted that Torodoc has been in custody for six months without family visits.
He was granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK in 2020, and during this period, he was employed and sending money back to his family in Romania.
Torodoc, who required a Romanian interpreter during the court proceedings, pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual assault and one count of common assault.
The judge, Recorder Ciaran Rankin, sentenced him to 17 months in prison.
The judge described the case as “a very disturbing and troubling picture,” emphasizing the bizarre and predatory attitude Torodoc displayed towards his victims.
He also pointed out that the defendant did not seem to recognize the seriousness of his actions in his pre-sentence report.
In addition to his prison term, Torodoc was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years, reflecting the gravity of his offenses and the community’s need for ongoing protection.
