A 30-year-old British-Nigerian man, Abiola Tijani, has been jailed after pleading guilty to raping a stranger in Sheffield.
Tijani, of Cherry Street, Sheffield, was on Thursday, November 9, 2023, sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to 12 years and three months, of which eight years and three months are custodial and four years are on licence.
The Court heard how, in the early hours of the morning on Saturday 29 July, Tijani followed the victim as she was walking home, where he repeatedly tried to engage in a conversation with her.
The court then heard how Tijani grabbed the victim, pushing her against some railings before raping her.
Tijani was also handed a lifetime restraining order prohibiting him from any contact with the victim.
Passing sentence the Judge said; “No sentence I pass will undo the harm you caused or be considered adequate. What you did is every woman’s worst nightmare”.
Police Constable Sarah Frith, the officer in charge of this case, comments: “The victim has shown great bravery during this case. I commend her for the strength of character she has shown in supporting a prosecution. We take every report of rape seriously at South Yorkshire Police and we hope this sentence goes someway towards giving the victim the justice she deserves”.
Tijani pleaded guilty at Sheffield Crown Court on 8 September and was remanded.
