On the night of 4 October 2019, Osman Suleyman, a 31-year-old man with no fixed address, was part of a group that had been socialising in Woolwich Town Centre. The evening, which had been good-natured up to that point, took a sinister turn when the group returned to a flat in Charlton in the early hours of 5 October. The flat belonged to a friend of Suleyman's, where he was temporarily staying.
Suleyman, who had provided drugs and alcohol to the group, demanded that a 23-year-old woman known to him perform sexual acts on him as repayment. When she refused, he became violent, repeatedly striking her face with a knuckle duster and the sheath of a knife. He also kicked her and forced her to perform a sex act before raping her. Throughout the assault, Suleyman threatened to kill the woman if she reported the incident to the police. The attack left her with extensive injuries, including cuts and bruises to her face and body, and blood was smeared on the walls and kitchen door of the flat.
Shortly after the assault, the victim left the flat in distress and encountered a friend who immediately called the police. Officers arrived, spoke to the victim, and took her to hospital for treatment. They then forced entry into the Charlton flat, where they found signs of disturbance, including bloodstained clothing and bedding in the washing machine. Suleyman was arrested at the scene.
In his police interview, Suleyman denied raping or assaulting anyone and provided no further comment. The case proceeded to Woolwich Crown Court, where on 17 March 2020, a jury unanimously found him guilty of two counts of rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), threats to kill, and false imprisonment. Sentencing occurred on 26 June 2020, with Suleyman receiving 16 years' imprisonment, plus an extended five years on licence.
Detective Constable Ben Harrington of the Metropolitan Police Service's South East Command Unit described the case as 'one of the most shocking cases we've ever dealt with' due to the extreme violence employed. He stated: 'This was a horrible crime and the victim was subjected to a dreadful ordeal. Thankfully she has been able to recover from her injuries, but the impact of such a crime goes beyond the physical injury.' Harrington emphasised the support provided to victims by specialist officers and noted that 'Suleyman is a violent man and the jury found him unanimously guilty on all charges. The violence used was appalling. Suleyman now faces a long term in prison for his crime; it is thoroughly deserved.'
The Metropolitan Police Service, responsible for the investigation in the Greenwich area, highlighted the traumatic nature of sexual violence crimes and the importance of bringing perpetrators to justice to aid victim recovery.