Two men who drugged a woman before sexually assaulting her have been sentenced to a total of 24 years’ imprisonment.
Mizad Miah, 24, was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London on Friday, 12 October, after being found guilty on 11 September of rape, administering a substance with intent to overpower to allow sexual activity, and assault by penetration.
Belal Ahmed, 24, was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment at the same court after being found guilty on 11 September of administering a substance with intent to overpower to allow sexual activity, and assault by penetration.
The court heard how at around 21:45hrs on Thursday, 9 November 2017, the victim – a 21-year-old woman – was picked up in a car in Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets, by Ahmed and Miah, who were both known to her. They had promised to show her around a flat she was interested in renting.
Instead, Miah drove them to an off-licence shop where the two men purchased alcohol while the victim waited in the car. Miah got back into the driver’s seat and Ahmed got in the back next to the victim and forced her to drink the alcohol by holding her nose.
Shortly after this the victim lost consciousness. She was then sexually assaulted by both men and raped by Miah.
When she regained consciousness, she was sat on the side of the road outside of the vehicle with just her vest and underwear on. Miah and Ahmed were also outside of the car, laughing at the victim. The victim did not know how she ended up outside on the ground.
They all then got back into the car. Miah drove them around various car parks to retrieve items of the victim’s clothing which had been discarded earlier by Miah and Ahmed during the sexual assaults.
She was eventually dropped off at around 03:00hrs the following morning near Bow Creek, on Navigation Road, Tower Hamlets. She then made her way back to a friend’s house in the area.
The victim reported the incident to police on Friday, 10 November 2017 and officers from the Met’s Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command (CASO) launched an immediate investigation.
CCTV footage was obtained from the off-licence shop which showed Ahmed and Miah placing something into the alcohol and Ahmed shaking the bottle.
Toxicology results showed that a class A drug, MDMA, was placed in the alcohol which had caused the victim to pass out.
Both males were arrested at Gatwick Airport on Saturday, 18 November 2017, having just returned to the country after holidaying together in Morocco.