C
Charlene
Guest
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/07/teenager-raqped-11-girl-life
An 18-year-old paedophile who raped an 11-year-old girl while on
probation has been jailed for life and told he will serve a minimum of
eight years.
Opemipo Jaji, 18, from Edmonton, north London, had just left his
probation officer when he spotted the child going home from school on a
bus on 23 November last year.
Following her and forcing her into Jubilee Park, he attacked the girl,
threatening to stab her if she resisted and telling her he would film
her and send copies to children at her school and to "everyone you love".
After the rape, he went to a youth centre from which he had been banned
as part of a supervision order.
Sentencing Jaji at the Old Bailey on Friday, Mr Justice Singh said he
had given careful consideration as to whether he could impose a lesser
sentence than life, but decided it was unavoidable.
"In all the circumstances of this case, I do not believe that the public
would be adequately protected from you if you were the subject of any
sentence other than a life sentence," he said.
He told Jaji that the eight-year minimum was not the actual term he
would serve, but the minimum before he could be considered for release
by the parole board.
"The parole board will only direct your release on licence if it is
satisfied that you are no longer a danger to members of the public."
The judge told Jaji that his attack had affected the girl
psychologically as well as physically. "You have left her with terrible
emotional scars," he said. "One can only hope that, with the courage
that she has already shown in giving evidence at this trial, and with
the support of her family and friends, she can begin the process of
recovery."
Jaji, who had denied raping the girl, was convicted of the attack in
April. The judge said although Jaji had shown remorse for his crime
following his conviction, he viewed his apparent regret with caution.
"I had the opportunity to observe you when you gave evidence at your
trial," he said. "It is clear to me that you are well capable of lying
and of manipulating others around you to suit your own interests."
While Jaji was "an intelligent young man who had potential", said the
judge, it is also clear that he harboured "an unhealthy interest in
little girls".
The case has prompted the Probation Service to launch a serious,
multiagency case review into how Jaji was able to commit what it termed
a horrific crime.
In February 2011, Jaji sexually assaulted and robbed a 12-year-old
schoolgirl on a housing estate. He was given a 10-month detention and
training order in September 2011, serving five months in custody.
In April last year, he was fined Ł15 for failing to comply with the
order, while a month later he was given a youth supervision order for 18
months for making indecent pictures of young girls.
Detective Chief Inspector Adam Lowe of the Metropolitan police, who led
the investigation, said Jaji had posed a great danger to young girls and
had compounded the suffering of his victim by pleading not guilty and
forcing her to give evidence to the court by videolink.
"This was a particularly brutal but unusual attack on an innocent
11-year-old schoolgirl who will no doubt continue to suffer the
emotional scars of what happened to her for a very long time," he said.
"I would like to take this opportunity to praise the bravery of the
victim and her family."
Lowe added that the police had been aware of the threat Jaji posed and
had raised their concerns with a multiagency public protection forum
or Mappa which planned imminently to apply for an order that would
establish some control over the risk he posed. However, Jaji raped his
victim before such steps could be taken.
Lowe said a case review was going on into what happened, adding: "My
organisation has done more than its statutory obligations."
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wd49
An 18-year-old paedophile who raped an 11-year-old girl while on
probation has been jailed for life and told he will serve a minimum of
eight years.
Opemipo Jaji, 18, from Edmonton, north London, had just left his
probation officer when he spotted the child going home from school on a
bus on 23 November last year.
Following her and forcing her into Jubilee Park, he attacked the girl,
threatening to stab her if she resisted and telling her he would film
her and send copies to children at her school and to "everyone you love".
After the rape, he went to a youth centre from which he had been banned
as part of a supervision order.
Sentencing Jaji at the Old Bailey on Friday, Mr Justice Singh said he
had given careful consideration as to whether he could impose a lesser
sentence than life, but decided it was unavoidable.
"In all the circumstances of this case, I do not believe that the public
would be adequately protected from you if you were the subject of any
sentence other than a life sentence," he said.
He told Jaji that the eight-year minimum was not the actual term he
would serve, but the minimum before he could be considered for release
by the parole board.
"The parole board will only direct your release on licence if it is
satisfied that you are no longer a danger to members of the public."
The judge told Jaji that his attack had affected the girl
psychologically as well as physically. "You have left her with terrible
emotional scars," he said. "One can only hope that, with the courage
that she has already shown in giving evidence at this trial, and with
the support of her family and friends, she can begin the process of
recovery."
Jaji, who had denied raping the girl, was convicted of the attack in
April. The judge said although Jaji had shown remorse for his crime
following his conviction, he viewed his apparent regret with caution.
"I had the opportunity to observe you when you gave evidence at your
trial," he said. "It is clear to me that you are well capable of lying
and of manipulating others around you to suit your own interests."
While Jaji was "an intelligent young man who had potential", said the
judge, it is also clear that he harboured "an unhealthy interest in
little girls".
The case has prompted the Probation Service to launch a serious,
multiagency case review into how Jaji was able to commit what it termed
a horrific crime.
In February 2011, Jaji sexually assaulted and robbed a 12-year-old
schoolgirl on a housing estate. He was given a 10-month detention and
training order in September 2011, serving five months in custody.
In April last year, he was fined Ł15 for failing to comply with the
order, while a month later he was given a youth supervision order for 18
months for making indecent pictures of young girls.
Detective Chief Inspector Adam Lowe of the Metropolitan police, who led
the investigation, said Jaji had posed a great danger to young girls and
had compounded the suffering of his victim by pleading not guilty and
forcing her to give evidence to the court by videolink.
"This was a particularly brutal but unusual attack on an innocent
11-year-old schoolgirl who will no doubt continue to suffer the
emotional scars of what happened to her for a very long time," he said.
"I would like to take this opportunity to praise the bravery of the
victim and her family."
Lowe added that the police had been aware of the threat Jaji posed and
had raised their concerns with a multiagency public protection forum
or Mappa which planned imminently to apply for an order that would
establish some control over the risk he posed. However, Jaji raped his
victim before such steps could be taken.
Lowe said a case review was going on into what happened, adding: "My
organisation has done more than its statutory obligations."
--
wd49