Man jailed for raping man in city centre park

A man has been jailed for raping another man in a city centre park.

Idrees Jaff attacked the man near the bandstand in Chapelfield Gardens, Norwich, shortly after 23:00 BST on 10 June last year.

The 39-year-old of Berners Close, Norwich, previously denied two counts of raping a male over 16 but was convicted following a trial at King's Lynn Crown Court in December.

At Norwich Crown Court, Jaff was jailed for 10 years with a further four years on licence.

He was also placed on the sex offenders registration for life.

Sentencing Jaff, Recorder Michael Turner, said: "There's no doubt in my mind that he [the victim] was vulnerable.

"You represent someone who is a serious risk of posing other offences to members of the public.

"You have offered no explanation."

In a statement read to the court, the victim described the impact of the attack as "unbearable".

"At times I feel like I have lost my mind. This is not the life I want to lead and wasn't the life I was living before this happened," he said.

"I have had terrible nightmares about this incident, mainly of seeing the suspect in court smirking.

"I will now never forget his face."

The court heard how Jaff, who had 14 previous convictions dating back to 2004, met his "intoxicated" victim outside County Hall earlier the same evening.

They walked to Chapelfield Gardens where they were said to have talked and held hands.

Jaff then raped his victim, out of the view of CCTV cameras.

The man, who was previously unknown to Jaff, reported the attack "almost immediately", the court heard.

The author of a pre-sentence report described Jaff as a dangerous offender, to which the judge replied: "I wholeheartedly agree".

"I do find that the victim was particularly vulnerable, which must have been obvious to you," he added.

Defence lawyer Michael Clare said Jaff was "sorry" for his crime.

"I observe that this is his first sexual act," he told the court.

Jaff faces deportation upon completion of his sentence.

Speaking after sentencing, Det Con Hayley Green, from Norfolk Police's safeguarding and investigation unit said: "This was a very harrowing incident where a man was targeted in public by a stranger.

"Jaff is clearly a dangerous individual who showed predatory behaviour taking advantage of someone who was very vulnerable late at night."

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