Sheraz Malik

Sheraz Malik, a 28-year-old asylum seeker originally from Pakistan, was convicted at Birmingham Crown Court of two counts of rape – oral and vaginal – following an incident in Sutton Lawn park, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.

The attack occurred on 29 June 2023, when the victim, an 18-year-old woman who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been drinking heavily. She had shared two bottles of vodka with a male friend before joining Malik and a group of other men she did not know, who were sitting nearby in the park. Her friend left her with the group, asking them to 'look after her' while he went to meet someone else. The prosecution described the complainant as 'alone, drunk and obviously a vulnerable person'. She was allegedly raped by a first man while relieving herself in an isolated part of the park, and then taken to another secluded spot where Malik raped her.

During the trial, Malik claimed the sex was consensual, stating that the woman had told him 'I really like you' and 'I really enjoyed it'. He denied slapping her and said he had been playing cricket and smoking cannabis in the park beforehand. The woman, giving evidence via video link, denied any consent, explaining she felt scared and alone after the first assault, and only gave Malik her Snapchat details afterwards because she felt uncomfortable. She refuted claims of flirting or enjoying the encounter, calling Malik a liar.

A jury of five men and seven women deliberated for around three hours before returning unanimous guilty verdicts on the two rape counts, and not guilty on a count of anal rape. A reporting restriction had been in place preventing mention of Malik's immigration status until the trial concluded. It emerged that Malik had lived in Italy, Germany, and France before arriving in the UK, and was receiving £50 per week from the Home Office at the time.

Judge Simon Ash KC adjourned the case for a mention hearing on 6 February 2024 to fix a sentencing date, ordering a pre-sentence report to assess Malik's level of dangerousness. Addressing Malik in the dock, the judge stated: 'You have been convicted of very serious charges and I will need to sentence you in due course. You must engage with the probation service when they seek to engage with you. You will be remanded into custody at this stage.'

Nottinghamshire Police confirmed another suspect remains at large in connection with the incident. Detective Inspector Nicole Milner praised the victim's bravery, saying: 'She has shown great courage throughout and helped us to build a very strong case against Malik, whose version of events lacked credibility from the start. As a result of her evidence, the jury was able to see through his lies and to convict him on two counts of rape.' The force described the investigation as large-scale with multiple lines of inquiry, vowing to continue pursuing the outstanding suspect.