On the evening of Friday, 21 October 2022, a woman was staying at a hotel in Plymouth with a friend. After enjoying a meal out, they returned to their room, and the woman decided to take a walk alone around midnight in the city centre.
Mohammed Abdullah, a 34-year-old man of no fixed abode in Plymouth, approached the woman and propositioned her for sex in exchange for money. She firmly declined his offer and walked away. However, shortly afterwards, Abdullah followed her into an alleyway in the New George Street area, where he raped her despite her repeated efforts to stop him and escape the assault.
Distraught and in shock, the victim returned to her hotel room, where her friend immediately noticed her condition and called the police. Officers from Devon and Cornwall Police's Project Gemstone, a specialist team handling sexual offences in Plymouth, launched an immediate investigation. Despite Abdullah's identity being unknown at the time, a proactive manhunt and fast-track enquiries led to his location and arrest within hours of the offence.
Abdullah, who resides on King Street in Plymouth, was charged with rape and remanded to Plymouth Magistrates' Court the following day, Saturday 22 October 2022. He denied the allegations throughout the process. Following a nine-day trial at Plymouth Crown Court, he was found guilty on Friday, 10 May 2024, of two charges of rape.
At the sentencing hearing on Friday, 28 June 2024, His Honour Judge Robert Linford remarked that Abdullah had shown no remorse and had maintained a 'ludicrous account' of the events that night. Abdullah was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years' imprisonment for both charges, to be served concurrently, with credit for time spent under curfew restrictions. He will be required to serve two-thirds of the sentence before being eligible for parole.
Detective Chief Inspector Darren Roach of Devon and Cornwall Police described the crime as 'particularly disturbing' and noted its profound impact on the victim, as well as the heightened tensions it caused in Plymouth's city centre and night-time economy. He praised the victim's bravery and the team's efforts in securing forensic evidence and building a strong case, despite the complexities involved, including multiple witnesses at trial.
The case underscores Devon and Cornwall Police's commitment to tackling violence against women and girls, with Project Gemstone playing a key role in specialist investigations.