Ionut Tanae

Ionut Tanae, a 33-year-old man of no fixed address, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court for committing serious sexual offences against a woman in Nelson, Lancashire. He pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, one count of burglary, and two counts of perverting the course of justice through witness intimidation. The court imposed a custodial sentence of eight years and five months, along with a 15-year restraining order to protect the victim.

The offences began with Tanae raping the woman twice. Following these assaults, he unlawfully entered the victim's home, where she awoke to find him standing over her in the bedroom. In a terrifying act of intimidation, Tanae threatened her to retract the statement she had provided to the police regarding the rapes. This burglary and intimidation occurred after the sexual assaults, escalating the victim's trauma and aimed at obstructing the legal process.

The victim detailed the profound emotional impact in her statement, stating: "This incident affected me a lot, emotionally speaking. I cried whole days for a month and a half, feeling a deep depression." Detective Constable Sarah Andrews from the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team at Lancashire Police commended the victim's courage, noting: "Tanae’s victim told us that when she woke to find him standing over her bed, she thought he was there to kill her. No one should be made to feel that way, especially in their own home." Andrews further described Tanae as "a despicable rapist" who believed he could evade justice by intimidating his victim, behaviour she labelled as "downright unacceptable" in Lancashire.

The case was investigated by Lancashire Police, who emphasised their commitment to supporting victims of sexual offences. The sentencing on Wednesday at Preston Crown Court marked the culmination of proceedings triggered by the victim's brave report to authorities. This outcome underscores the justice system's response to such predatory actions, ensuring Tanae was held accountable for his crimes.