Man jailed for raping and assaulting sex workers in Derby

A man who raped and assaulted sex workers in Derby has been jailed for 14 years.

Derby Crown Court heard Muhammad Jan targeted the women in late 2019, with one raped in Arboretum Park and another in the back garden of a house.

The 25-year-old, of Nightingale Road, Osmaston, was convicted of two counts of rape, one attempted rape and three sexual assaults following a trial.

He must also serve four years on extended licence after his release.

The court heard Jan was riding on his bike looking for "vulnerable" sex workers, with the attacks carried out over a short period of time at the end of 2019.

In one instance he threatened to knock out a victim, while another was hit in the side of the head and one woman was dragged towards the park.

Judge Jonathan Bennett described them as "horrific incidents".

One victim said she has been left traumatised by her attack.

"I'm just so scared of things that I shouldn't be scared of, and I've never been like that at all," she said.

Andrew Vout QC, defending, said Jan had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder deriving from his experiences in his native Afghanistan and said that coming to "a very different society" contributed to him "struggling to control his urges".

"He found himself in our country having fled from a repressive regime and a background where attitudes to women and personal freedoms really couldn't be further from this country," he said.

A psychiatric report said there was "high risk" of the defendant "committing such significant sexual offences in the future".

Sentencing, Judge Bennett said Jan was a "dangerous" man with "distorted and abusive" views of sex workers, and praised the courage of his victims in coming forward.

"If it were not for them, you would still be out on the streets," he said.

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