LAZARUS OLLEH SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS FOR RAPE IN HULL
A man identified as Lazarus Olleh has been sentenced to a 12-year prison term after being convicted of raping a vulnerable woman outside a nightclub in Hull.The incident took place in the early hours of October 29 last year, and Olleh’s predatory behavior was carried out in a calculated manner that targeted a woman who was heavily intoxicated.
According to court proceedings, Olleh, 38, of Belmont Street, Hull, approached the woman shortly after she left a nightclub in the city.
The court heard that he had earlier parked his vehicle nearby at approximately 5.10am, with the apparent intention of seeking a sexual encounter.
Hull Crown Court was told that Olleh had been actively looking for a woman to target and found his victim within a few minutes of arriving at the scene.
Prosecutor Jeremy Evans explained that Olleh, who denied the charge of rape, was found guilty by a jury after a retrial that lasted about seven days.
An earlier jury in April had been unable to reach a verdict, but the recent trial resulted in a conviction.
Mr.
Evans detailed that during the early morning hours, Olleh drove from a friend’s flat on Whitefriargate and parked in a taxi bay outside the Propaganda nightclub around 5.12am.
The victim, an 18-year-old woman at the time, was dressed in a Halloween-themed costume, including a schoolgirl uniform with fake blood on her face and clothing, which she and her friend had chosen the previous evening.
She was leaving the nightclub at approximately 5.30am, after a night out that included visits to Bar Babylon, Silvers/Yates Bar, Pink Parrot cocktail bar, and Atik nightclub, where she and her friend had stayed until around 3am.
The plan was for them to take a taxi home at around 5am, but they became separated and lost contact.
The woman, who is now 19, had consumed a significant amount of alcohol and appeared to be struggling with her jacket, which she was having difficulty putting on.
She was observed sitting alone against a wall, with her knees pulled up to her chest, seemingly in a vulnerable state.
It was at this moment that Olleh approached her, crouched down, and engaged her in conversation.
Within just over three minutes, he had managed to coax her into his car, placing his arm around her as he helped her into the front passenger seat.
Olleh then drove her a short distance, parking near his friend’s flat on Whitefriargate.
The court described his actions as almost “frogmarching” her, emphasizing that her intoxicated state left her with little choice but to comply.
The prosecution argued that Olleh was deliberately preying on her drunkenness, taking hold of her wrist and then placing his arm around her shoulders to guide her into the flat.
Once inside, Olleh took the woman to one of the bedrooms where he proceeded to rape her.
She later recalled waking up on her side, facing a wall, and immediately realizing that she had been sexually assaulted.
Her memory of the event was hazy, and she was unable to recall much else, only that she had lost consciousness during the ordeal.
The court noted that her fear and intoxication rendered her unable to resist.
Subsequent DNA testing confirmed Olleh’s involvement in the assault.
The woman was later awakened by a second man and helped to her feet.
Olleh and the woman then walked to his car, with his friend following behind.
During this time, Olleh asked her for her phone number, which she provided with a false contact detail out of fear.
Throughout the ordeal, she was scared, confused, and felt insecure.
She requested to be dropped off at a street where a friend lived, but her distress was evident.
Police investigations led to Olleh’s arrest after inquiries at his Whitefriargate flat.
When approached, Olleh initially responded with silence but later contacted the authorities himself.
Despite being informed of the DNA evidence against him, he gave mostly no comment responses to police questions.
The victim, who does not see herself as a victim but as a survivor, suffered severe psychological trauma following the incident.
Her distress persisted for weeks, and she was deeply devastated by what had happened.
The court highlighted that Olleh was a stranger to her and described the incident as a nightmare scenario that many fear.
In mitigation, Liam Gregory stated that Olleh was shocked by the verdict and maintained that he still believed he was not guilty.
The judge, Mark Bury, rejected the argument that Olleh’s actions were motivated by a desire to help the woman, emphasizing that she was so intoxicated that she could not protest or resist.
The judge pointed out that Olleh’s decision to target a vulnerable woman was clear, and his actions constituted abduction, as she was unable to stop him.
Judge Bury also noted that Olleh, a Nigerian national who had been in the UK for only about six weeks, would face deportation after serving his sentence.
The court observed that Olleh’s decision to turn up in his own car and his failure to use a condom indicated a lack of detailed pre-planning.
The judge condemned Olleh’s predatory behavior, stating that he had sought out a vulnerable young woman with the intent to have sex, regardless of her capacity to consent.
The court described her as suffering significant psychological harm and emphasized the trauma she endured in the aftermath.
The judge concluded that Olleh’s actions were driven solely by his desire to have sex, even if it meant committing rape.
The victim’s fears of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases persisted for weeks, but she later received medical reassurance that she was clear of any infections.
Olleh was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was led away from the courtroom without showing any emotion, as he was taken to the cells to serve his sentence.
