JASON RABENDA FROM FELIXSTOWE AND IPSWICH SENTENCED FOR CHILD RAPE IN IPSWICH

In July 2012, Jason Rabenda, a man with ties to both Felixstowe and Ipswich, was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison for heinous crimes involving a 13-year-old girl. The case drew significant attention at Ipswich Crown Court, where the details of his assault and subsequent attempts to deceive law enforcement were laid bare.

Rabenda, aged 24 and residing on Matson Road in Ipswich at the time, was found guilty of attacking the young girl on two separate occasions at a residence located in the north-west part of Ipswich. The court heard that Rabenda had assaulted the girl twice within the same house, and in an effort to evade justice, he initially lied to police officers, claiming that the girl was fabricating her allegations.

Judge Rupert Overbury, presiding over the case, sentenced Rabenda to a term of six years and eight months in prison. Additionally, he imposed an extended license period of two years and four months, emphasizing the severity of Rabenda’s actions. The judge described Rabenda’s conduct as driven by a desire for sexual gratification, showing a blatant disregard for the girl’s protests and pleas for him to stop.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Rabenda, who was formerly residing on Buregate Road in Felixstowe, had initially denied any wrongdoing when questioned by police. He falsely claimed that the girl had made sexual advances towards him and that her accusations of rape were lies, asserting that he had turned her down and that she was lying about the incident. The judge condemned this as a “gross and cruel lie.”

The court also heard that Rabenda had visited the house where the girl was staying and had forcibly pushed her into a bathroom, locking the door to trap her inside. Despite her protests and pleas to be left alone, Rabenda ignored her and proceeded to commit the sexual assault by raping her after removing her trousers. Prosecutor Michael Crimp confirmed that Rabenda admitted to raping and sexually assaulting the girl on September 23 of the previous year.

In his defense, Rabenda’s lawyer, Neil Saunders, acknowledged that although his client had a history of previous convictions, none were related to sexual offenses. Saunders requested that Rabenda be given credit for his guilty plea, which spared the young girl the trauma of testifying in court. He also mentioned that Rabenda struggled with alcohol problems.

However, the court was not lenient. Recorder Michael Pooles QC expressed strong disapproval of Rabenda’s actions, especially considering his prior criminal record. The judge highlighted Rabenda’s breach of trust and the court’s mercy, referencing an incident in December 2010 when Rabenda stole £135 from the Hare and Hounds pub on Norwich Road in Ipswich while serving a two-year suspended sentence. In January of the following year, Rabenda was sentenced to six months and two weeks in prison after admitting to theft and violating his suspended sentence, which was originally imposed for a house burglary.

Judge Pooles made it clear that Rabenda’s repeated breaches of court orders and his failure to reform demonstrated a troubling pattern of behavior, underscoring the importance of the lengthy sentence handed down for his recent crimes against the young girl in Ipswich.