A Nigerian man living in the United Kingdom, Segun Ogundipe, has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and assault by penetration.
The 33-year-old, of Tuffley Lane, Gloucester, denied the charges but was convicted by a jury at Gloucester Crown Court.
Prosecutors said the offences took place in 2022 after Ogundipe met the victim at her workplace and later invited her for drinks.
According to Gloucestershire Police, his sexual remarks during the evening caused the woman discomfort. He later drove her to his home, saying he needed to pick something up. There, he raped and sexually assaulted her after she used the bathroom.
On the way to Cheltenham afterwards, Ogundipe continued to touch the woman despite her repeated objections. Police officers on routine patrol stopped his car, allowing her to get out. An officer, noticing her distress, spoke to her, and she disclosed the assault.
Ogundipe was arrested, and he later told the court the sexual contact had been consensual and initiated by the victim, a claim the jury rejected.
Judge Lowe acknowledged the positive character references submitted on his behalf but said the nature of the offences required a custodial sentence. Ogundipe will be deported after completing his prison term.
In a statement read to the court, the victim described the lasting effects of the attack: “It is still crazy to me to think how your words and your actions have made me question my worth entirely. Some days, what you did to me plays over and over in my head. What you did was vile and one of the worst things you could do to someone.
“I spent so long believing that I must have deserved what you did to me, but I know now that you had no right to the rights of my body. Every single part of my life paused. I had to leave my job, a job that I loved deeply, because I couldn’t cope.
“I became scared to meet new people, to even smile at someone out of fear that it would be taken the wrong way. I lost my spark, and even now I’m still only starting to heal.”
Encouraging other survivors to report assaults, she added: “It doesn’t matter if you feel ashamed or if you feel you are somehow to blame. You will be believed and supported.”
Detective Constable Jon Furse of Gloucestershire Police said: “Ogundipe’s actions that night have caused serious harm and will have a lasting impact on the victim. We are dedicated to ensuring sexual offenders are held accountable for their horrific crimes, and I would encourage anyone who has been a victim of rape or other sexual assaults to please come forward and speak to police.”
The sentencing comes days after another Nigerian man, Elvis Nosakhare, was jailed for six years in the UK for sexually abusing his girlfriend’s underage daughter.
