Indian gets 7-year jail for raping woman in UK

An Indian man who fled the UK after raping a woman in 2017 has been sentenced to seven years in jail.

Ajay Rana, 35, raped the woman in the back of his housemate's car in Lowestoft town, Suffolk, after offering her a lift on December 9, 2017. He then took a "trophy photograph" and fled to India days later under the pretence of visiting his ill mother.

Rana was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court on Tuesday after being found guilty of rape following a two-week trial, the BBC reported.

In a statement read to the court, the victim said the attack "will haunt me for the rest of my life".

"I am so angry that he has done this to me, and (the case) brings it all flooding back and the emotions hit me like a roller coaster," the woman said.

She added that she had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, had begun self-harming and suffered regular flashbacks, despite receiving counselling.

Rana had offered to drive the woman home as she walked along Oulton Road on December 9, 2017. He told her he had already driven two other people because of the cold but stopped the car in Kimberley Road and raped her.

The woman, who was in her 30s, managed to get out and ran to a friend's house where the police were called.

Rana then took a photograph of the evidence of the attack on the passenger seat.

By the time the police identified him as a suspect five days later, having traced the vehicle to his home, Rana had taken a flight to India.

The police then began proceedings to extradite Rana from India and also issued an European Arrest warrant.

Rana was detained under the European warrant by the Spanish police in Bilbao on October 22. He was extradited to the UK on November 12 after approval from the Spanish courts.

--IANS

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