UK Asylum Seeker Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison after raping 15-year-old girl

The UK An asylum seeker, who had been permitted to remain in the Country following multiple attempts to deport him, has been sentenced to over ten years in prison for the rape of a 15-year-old girl.

Anicet Mayela, 41, originally from the Republic of Congo, arrived in the UK in 2004 but faced deportation in 2005. The assault occurred in December of the previous year while he was under the influence of alcohol, resulting in the victim becoming pregnant, as revealed during a hearing at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday.

Cabin crew members, described as ‘do-gooders,’ intervened to prevent Mayela’s deportation on an Air France flight upon learning of his impending return to his home country.

Despite pleading guilty to a single count of rape at Oxford Crown Court in April, Mayela maintained his innocence and previously sought to withdraw his plea, a request that the court denied.

Mayela made ‘full admissions’ to police earlier this year (Picture: PA)

Today, Judge Maria Lamb sentenced him to 10 years and 10 months in prison, emphasising the severity of the crime against the young victim. The judge remarked, “This was her first sexual experience, and the suffering you inflicted on her, resulting in her pregnancy, must have been profound.”

Judge Lamb noted Mayela’s continued denial of his actions, stating, “Your lack of remorse does not extend your sentence, but it deprives you of the opportunity to acknowledge the harm you have caused.”

She also highlighted the victim’s resilience, referencing her impact statement: “She is an extraordinary young woman who, despite the trauma you inflicted, has managed to find it within herself to forgive you.”

Prosecutor Edward Lucas informed the court that the teenage victim underwent an abortion in the months following the assault. Mayela was first interviewed by law enforcement in March of this year, during which he made total admissions but claimed he did not use force against the victim.

Several family members were in the public gallery as the sentencing occurred. It has been reported that the Home Office initially rejected Mayela’s asylum application in 2004, but he later succeeded in challenging that decision.

The Home Office initially denied Mayela’s asylum application in 2004; however, he successfully contested this decision in court and was ultimately granted leave to remain on appeal in 2010.

An earlier attempt to deport him was unsuccessful after he claimed to have sustained injuries while in an isolation cell at Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre.

Migrant jailed for 10 years over rape of 15-year-old girl |M10news

Following the obstruction of his deportation flight, Mayela was granted leave to remain a month later, as his legal representatives argued that his deportation would violate his human rights. Additionally, police announced they would investigate the injuries he reported during the deportation process.

Subsequently, Mayela was photographed protesting outside Campsfield House, where he was initially detained, holding a sign that read: ‘Migrants are not criminals.’

In an interview with the BBC, he stated: ‘I am here to support my friends… I have been inside here and at Colnbrook.’

He is required to serve two-thirds of his sentence before being eligible for release on licence and has also been placed under a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order.