Fri, 20 Sep 2019
Matthew Brook of No5 Barristers’ Chambers has prosecuted a rapist who claimed his victim consented to sex within minutes of him approaching her on the street.
Homeless Farirai Shereni, 25, denied raping the woman, a total stranger, as she walked to work in the early hours of November 6. He said she had agreed to be his girlfriend and consented to sex in an underpass on Bull Street in Birmingham City Centre.
Mr Brooks told Birmingham Crown Court: “The defendant’s account is that within minutes of seeing her, the victim agrees to be his girlfriend, kisses him and agrees to have sex with him. That’s nonsense.”
The jury saw parts of the attack which had been caught on CCTV and heard Shereni was arrested by police within 15 minutes of the assault a 4.30am. His movements were recorded by CCTV and he was identified.
Mr Brooks added: The victim said there were people around on the street and no one helped her. You could see people on the CCTV.”
He said “the CCTV footage speaks for itself.”
“It shows the defendant grabbing the victim and pushing her around, it shows him manhandling her,” he added.
"What it does not show is the body language of a woman who has fallen in love with the defendant. It does not show a woman who wants or who is consenting to sex.
"He is a man who lies and lies. He knew he had raped the victim. He knew he had not expressly asked the victim for sex."
Shereni was found guilty of two counts of rape and one of sexual assault following a three-day trial and will be sentenced on October 17.
To read more visit: https://west-midlands.police.uk/news/man-convicted-raping-woman-birmingham-city-centre
