JORDAN ADEWALE FROM SLOUGH SENTENCED FOR RAPE IN BURNHAM

In April 2019, a disturbing case unfolded involving a man from Slough who committed a heinous sexual assault in Burnham. Jordan Adewale, aged 23 and residing on The Greenway in Slough, was convicted of raping a 19-year-old woman while she was sleepwalking inside her own home. The incident took place in the early hours of the morning when the victim, who was unaware of her surroundings due to her sleepwalking state, was subjected to a brutal assault in her kitchen.

The court heard that Adewale's actions were triggered after he had been engaged in sexual activity with another young woman earlier that night. During this time, the victim unexpectedly entered the room where they were, interrupting their intimacy. This intrusion appeared to provoke a strong emotional reaction from Adewale. According to the judge, he flew into a “fit of pique” upon realizing that the woman he was with no longer wished to continue their encounter. In a state of anger and frustration, Adewale left the room completely naked, and it was during this moment that he encountered the sleepwalking victim.

What followed was a deeply troubling event. The victim, still in her sleepwalking state, was found on the kitchen floor with Adewale on top of her, raping her. The court was told that she awoke to the horrifying realization of what was happening. Her first sight was Adewale, who was actively assaulting her. She was described as being in shock, terrified, and furious. She managed to push him off and immediately shouted for help, heading upstairs to report the incident to her housemates. Armed with a pocket knife, she then confronted Adewale downstairs, expressing her distress and anger directly to him.

During the trial, the court was informed that Adewale had initially denied the allegations when police arrived at the scene. He had pretended to be asleep and unaware of the incident. However, as the police arrested him on suspicion of rape, he assaulted an officer, an act for which he was later convicted. The forensic evidence presented in court was substantial, indicating that sexual activity had taken place between Adewale and the victim. Despite suggestions that the victim might have performed oral sex or engaged in other sexual acts while sleepwalking, the judge dismissed these claims as “incredible,” emphasizing that the jury also found them unconvincing.

Judge Edward Burgess, QC, addressed Adewale directly during sentencing. He pointed out that although there was some initial sexual attraction between Adewale and the victim in early 2017, by the time of this incident, the victim no longer harbored any feelings for him. The judge highlighted Adewale’s apparent obsession with sex, noting that earlier that night, he had made sexual comments about both the victim and another young woman. The judge described Adewale’s frustration when the victim’s sleepwalking interrupted his plans, leading him to leave the room naked and angry.

It was unclear whether Adewale had led the victim into the kitchen or simply followed her as she sleepwalked. What was certain was that she woke up to find him raping her. The court described her reaction as one of shock and fear, and her immediate response was to push him away and shout for help. Her subsequent actions demonstrated her distress and the severity of the assault.

In court, it was also revealed that Adewale had attempted to feign innocence by pretending to be asleep after the attack. His false claims of confusion and ignorance were dismissed by the judge, who stated that Adewale knew exactly what he had done. The court also noted that Adewale had attacked a police officer during his arrest, an assault for which he was convicted later.

Following his conviction on July 24, 2018, at Reading Crown Court, Adewale was sentenced to five years in prison. He was also ordered to comply with lifelong notification requirements, including registration as a sex offender. Dressed in a black leather jacket and blue T-shirt, Adewale had hugged his family and friends goodbye before entering the courtroom, carrying a travel bag, likely to serve his sentence. Throughout the proceedings, he maintained a stoic demeanor as the judge delivered the sentence, emphasizing that his actions exploited the victim’s vulnerable state of sleepwalking for his own selfish gratification in a drunken state. The court’s decision underscored the gravity of the crime and the need for justice to be served.