Faris Suleiman

On 30 March 2025, a woman in her late teens was enjoying a night out in Banbury town centre when she left a nightclub with Faris Suleiman, aged 19, of Windrush, Banbury, sometime between 3am and 3.20am. Suleiman, who had been with the victim briefly, lured her to a secluded area of People's Park, where he committed the offence of rape against her.

The victim, fearing for her safety, remained with Suleiman initially after the assault. They re-entered the town centre together, at which point she searched for her friends and confided in them about the incident. Police were informed shortly afterwards, and officers from Thames Valley Police stopped Suleiman as he matched the description provided by the victim. He was arrested and charged the following day, on 31 March 2025, and remanded in custody.

Following a thorough investigation by Thames Valley Police, Suleiman appeared for trial at Oxford Crown Court. After a six-day trial, a jury found him guilty by majority verdict on 22 September 2025 of one count of rape of a female aged 16 years and over. On 24 October 2025, he was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with an additional four-year extended licence period.

Detective Constable Gemma Kerby, the investigating officer, commented: 'Faris Suleiman preyed on a vulnerable victim on a night out with her friends and raped her, which has had an unimaginable impact on her. I would like to thank the victim and witnesses for their support and engagement during the investigation. I hope that the victim can continue on the road to recovery knowing that Suleiman has been found guilty and jailed as a result of his actions. We will always work relentlessly to bring those who cause harm to others to justice and we encourage any sexual offence victims to report what’s happened to police.' This case underscores Thames Valley Police's commitment to supporting victims of sexual offences and pursuing justice against perpetrators.