Valentin Lazar

On 4 May 2021, Valentin Lazar, then 23 and formerly of Newham, east London, attacked and murdered Maria Rawlings, a 45-year-old vulnerable mother-of-two, in Romford. Ms Rawlings had just left King George Hospital in nearby Ilford when she was subjected to a brutal assault that left her with multiple injuries. Lazar killed her and then took her handbag to stage the scene as a robbery.

Lazar was initially sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 23 years and six months at the Old Bailey in February 2022 for the murder. At the time of that sentencing, there was insufficient evidence to establish a sexual motive or conduct, though the judge noted that such evidence would have increased the starting point for the sentence. While incarcerated at HMP Belmarsh in March 2022, Lazar confessed to a probation officer that he had raped Ms Rawlings during the attack. He admitted removing her clothing before raping her, knowing she did not consent to sexual intercourse.

Following his confession, Lazar was interviewed by the Metropolitan Police and charged with rape. He pleaded guilty to the charge on 11 March 2024. Appearing via video link from HMP Frankland, Lazar was sentenced at the Old Bailey by Judge Mark Lucraft KC. The judge recounted Lazar's admissions, stating: "In the admissions you made you said you removed Maria's clothing before then raping her." Judge Lucraft imposed a five-year custodial sentence for the rape, to be served consecutively after the completion of the minimum term for murder. This effectively delays Lazar's eligibility for release consideration by the Parole Board.

In mitigation, defence barrister Christopher Whitehouse highlighted that Lazar's confession was "voluntary and unforced" and that he sought to "unburden himself". Whitehouse expressed hope that the guilty plea and additional sentence would bring "a degree of finality for the victim's family". The court heard a victim impact statement from Ms Rawlings' father, Tony, who described his daughter as "the strong one, very generous, a kind person who thought a lot of her elders and that she was always offering to help". He added that "15 minutes of anger towards a defenceless grandmother had caused him and his family a lifetime of pain".

The case was prosecuted by the Metropolitan Police, with sentencing details reported by BBC News based on court proceedings at the Old Bailey. Related coverage includes the initial murder sentencing on 3 February 2022 and Lazar's guilty plea to murder on 19 November 2021.