A WOMAN feared she was going to die and never see her family again when she was attacked by a violent rapist after sharing a taxi with him from a Rugby night club.
But fortunately for her, a passing van driver saw what was happening as he drove past, and turned back, at which rapist Kai Sowe made off.
Despite damning DNA evidence, Sowe denied raping the woman, or even having sex with her – but was convicted after a trial at Warwick Crown Court in June.
And following an adjournment for a report to be prepared on him, the 28-year-old, of Stainsbury Avenue, Hockley, Birmingham, was jailed for 14 years and ordered to register as a sex offender for life.
During the trial, prosecutor Michael Williams said that in October 2016 Sowe travelled to Rugby to visit the mother of his child, and that evening went to a night club in the town centre.
His victim, a woman in her 40s, was in the same club and dancing with a number of people including Sowe.
Later they were both at the taxi rank where, after they had discussed where they were going, Sowe suggested they share a taxi, and the woman agreed.
After they got out of the taxi at a spot when Sowe had told the driver to stop, the woman set off to walk the rest of the way back to her home. Sowe followed and attacked her from behind and raped her.
But van driver Patrick Mitchell came to her aid. He had become concerned at seeing her being followed, so had turned round and driven past again.
When he did so, his suspicions proved correct and he saw the rape taking place, so pulled up, at which Sowe made off.
After the woman was taken to the hospital internal swabs were taken which revealed Sowe’s DNA.
But despite that damning evidence, Sowe denied having sex with her.
At the resumed hearing, the court heard that in an impact statement Sowe’s victim said she thought he was going to kill her and that she would never see her family again.
Jailing Sowe, Judge Peter Cooke told him: “This was the rape of a virtual stranger. There was extreme violence over and above the force needed to rape her, and your case is aggravated further by the location and timing.”
At the end of the trial Judge Cooke had praised Mr Mitchell for his ‘exemplary conduct,’ commenting that he had been “sufficiently troubled and sufficiently public-spirited not to just leave this woman to her fate”.
The judge asked for Mr Mitchell to be awarded £1,000 in recognition of his actions.
