London Bridge: man jailed for rape of 18-year-old on Thames Path

28-year-old Sanjay Naker from Wood Green, was on Thursday found guilty at Inner London Crown Court of three counts of oral rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault.

The court heard that on 11 March 2017 the 18-year-old victim had been out for the night at the Number 1 Bar in Duke Street Hill before being asked to leave as she'd had too much to drink.

Naker had been outside the bar. He saw the victim and began talking to her. CCTV showed them chatting at around 4am, Naker appearing to show her concern, picking her up when she fell and offering her his jacket. At one point he gave her a piggyback.

He then tried to kiss her and she pushed him off. He kept trying to pull her in the opposite direction to where she was walking and eventually succeeded, dragging her to what police described as "a secluded corner of The Queen's Walk" near London Bridge.

There he raped her and sexually assaulted her multiple times.

Security staff working nearby went to investigate, having seen suspicious activity on CCTV. Naker told them he had met the woman in a club nearby. He give them his details and then left.

The staff found the woman unconscious on the ground with her underwear pulled down and called an ambulance.

She was taken to hospital to recover and later to a Haven where it was determined she had been raped.

Naker was circulated as wanted and arrested the following day. In interview he claimed the victim had asked him for sex. Following further enquiries he was charged on 28 November 2017r

DC Aidan Kersley said: "Naker deliberately targeted his victim as someone intoxicated and vulnerable.

"After talking to her for a matter of minutes, he managed to drag her to a secluded area where he raped her. She has no memory of what happened.

"Naker then brazenly gave security guards his name, confident that the victim's intoxication would protect him. However, we were able to prove she had been raped and build a strong case against him – the simple fact was, she was too drunk to give her consent.

"This case shows that no matter what the circumstances, we will work tirelessly to bring rapists and sexual offenders to justice. Anyone who sadly finds themselves in similar circumstances should take courage from this case and the conviction we have seen today.

"Our officers are experienced, highly trained and treat victims with the sensitivity and compassion they deserve."

Naker was found not guilty of sexual assault by penetration.