A Nigerian man living in the UK on a student visa has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison after being convicted of attempting to rape a woman following a night out in Hull.
Qudus Ajeyemi, 27, who was known by the nickname “Spartan”, was found guilty of attempted rape and sexual assault after a week-long trial at Hull Crown Court. He was sentenced on June 15 and will be deported to Nigeria upon completion of his prison term.
Ajeyemi was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and made subject to a seven-year restraining order.
The court heard that the incident occurred in early 2023 after the victim attended a party and later returned to a house on Tavistock Street in Hull with a group of friends. She had consumed alcohol during the evening and became unwell after arriving at the property.
According to prosecutors, Ajeyemi offered the woman a place to rest and escorted her upstairs to a bedroom after she had been sick and was feeling intoxicated.
The victim believed she had simply been offered somewhere safe to sleep.
However, within moments of lying down, she said Ajeyemi began touching her without her consent.
Prosecutor Charlotte Baines told the court that the woman repeatedly pushed him away and made it clear she was not interested.
Despite being told to stop, Ajeyemi persisted and had removed his clothing. When the woman tried to resist, she said he pushed her, prompting her to flee downstairs in tears.
Friends who were in the house noticed her distress, while Ajeyemi later entered the room and asked what was wrong.
The victim subsequently confided in a friend about the ordeal.
The case took a dramatic turn when Ajeyemi later contacted the woman through FaceTime and repeatedly apologised for his actions.
Unbeknown to him, the victim recorded the conversation.
The recordings captured him admitting what had happened and pleading for forgiveness. He also sent follow-up messages expressing remorse.
Those recordings became crucial evidence during the trial.
When questioned by police, Ajeyemi denied the allegations, even after investigators played the recordings back to him.
Following an investigation by the Protecting Vulnerable People Unit of Humberside Police, Ajeyemi was arrested and eventually brought before the court.
Detective Sergeant Ethan Anderson praised the victim for her courage throughout the lengthy legal process.
He said the defendant had taken advantage of the woman when she was vulnerable and attempted to sexually assault her in a place where she should have felt safe.
“The trauma and emotional damage he caused will undoubtedly stay with her for the rest of her life,” he said.
The officer also criticised Ajeyemi for refusing to admit his crimes, forcing the victim to relive the experience during a six-day trial.
Police reiterated that reports of rape and sexual offences are taken extremely seriously and encouraged victims to come forward whenever they feel ready.
With his conviction and sentence now handed down, Ajeyemi will remain on the Sex Offenders Register for life before ultimately being removed from the United Kingdom after serving his sentence.
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