Marcell Koekemoer

A man from Stretford has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for subjecting a woman to a horrific ordeal involving multiple rapes in her home in Knutsford, Cheshire.

The case came to light in August 2022 when the victim reported the incidents to Cheshire Police via an online form. She explained that two days prior, on or around 10 August 2022, Koekemoer had approached her after being locked out of his own address and asked if he could stay at her Knutsford home. She agreed on the condition that he sleep on the sofa.

However, in the early hours of the morning, Marcell Koekemoer entered the victim's bedroom and raped her. The following morning, when she asked him to leave, he raped her again before departing. Koekemoer was arrested later that month in August 2022 and interviewed by police, where he denied the allegations. He was released on conditional bail pending further enquiries.

• The victim described the severe impact in her personal statement read in court: "As a result of this crime, I was having flashbacks for several months. I have to live where the crime happened, and for a long time I was not able to sleep in my own bedroom. I had to sleep on my sofa or on the floor. Straight after, I kept myself to myself. I stopped going out and socialising for quite a few months after the incident. It’s massively affected my job due to the amount of time I had to take off. My anxiety has been very bad since the incident. I am still very up and down after what happened."

While on bail, Koekemoer committed further offences in the Avon and Somerset area, leading to a joint investigation between Cheshire Police and Avon and Somerset Police. He was charged in October 2023. Following a trial at Bristol Crown Court, Koekemoer was found guilty of two counts of rape on Tuesday, 30 April 2024.

In addition to the 17-year custodial sentence, Koekemoer is subject to an indefinite restraining order and must sign the sex offenders' register for life. Detective Constable Charlotte Dutton and Detective Constable James Atherton of Macclesfield CID commended the victim's courage, stating: "I would like to recognise the courage of the victim in this case by coming forward and reporting what happened to her. Not only did Koekemoer subject her to a horrific ordeal, but despite being on bail for rape offences, he went on to commit further offences in another force area. He then forced his victims to sit through a trial rather than take accountability for his actions. But he was found guilty of his crimes and is now behind bars." The case was reported by the Knutsford Guardian, based on details from Cheshire Police.