ABDURHIM YALCIN FROM ASHFORD SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS FOR RAPE AFTER FIVE UNPROVEN ACCUSATIONS

In a case that has shocked the community of Ashford, a man named Abdurhim Yalcin was sentenced to a lengthy prison term of 12 years for the brutal rape of a woman who was grieving the loss of her son. The incident took place just days after her son's funeral, adding a tragic layer to an already distressing event. The court heard that Yalcin, who owned a kebab shop in Hastings, had a disturbing history of allegations related to sexual misconduct spanning over a decade, yet none of these accusations had previously resulted in a conviction.

Yalcin, aged 36 at the time of the offence, had been accused five times before the incident in September 2006. Despite these repeated allegations, the legal system had failed to secure a conviction against him. The earliest recorded accusation was in September 1997, when he was accused of attempted rape. Although charges were brought, the case was ultimately dropped, and no conviction was made. In February 2000, he faced trial and was acquitted of indecent assault involving an employee at his kebab shop.

Further accusations surfaced in May 2003, when a woman claimed Yalcin had raped her in a wooded area. However, due to insufficient forensic evidence, no charges were filed. In February 2006, he was accused of raping a woman after they shared a taxi ride home, but conflicting witness accounts led to the case being dropped. The following year, in July 2006, another allegation was made that he sexually assaulted an employee at his shop in Hastings, but again, lack of evidence prevented any charges from being brought forward.

Despite this pattern of accusations, Yalcin continued to live freely until his arrest following the 2006 attack. During the trial at Lewes Crown Court, the jury learned that Yalcin had been living in Hastings at the time of the offence and owned a shop. The prosecution detailed how he deceived his way into the victim’s flat by claiming he was sent by the local imam of the Islamic community to discuss her son's death. Once inside, after sharing a cup of tea and a cigarette, Yalcin ominously warned her that he had come to punish her before assaulting her in a 15-minute attack on September 28, 2006.

Yalcin, who is now residing in Beaver Lane, Ashford, Kent, was arrested after DNA evidence linked him to the crime scene. During police interviews, he initially denied any involvement, claiming he did not know the woman and was working at his shop at the time of the attack. However, the DNA evidence proved otherwise. In taped interviews shown to the court, Yalcin lied about his whereabouts and denied the assault, but later changed his story, claiming he had met the woman on the street at 12:30 a.m. on September 29 and that they had consensual sex at her flat.

The judge, Anthony Scott-Gall, sentenced Yalcin to 12 years in prison and stated that he would not be eligible for parole for at least six years. The judge also took into account the numerous previous allegations against him, describing Yalcin’s actions as worse than anything found in the animal kingdom, and condemning his lack of remorse. He remarked that the woman had described her attacker as being like an animal, a comparison the judge found unfair to animals, which do not behave as Yalcin did.

Throughout the five-day trial, the court heard how Yalcin had manipulated the victim by pretending to be sent by a religious authority, only to later commit a violent assault. The case highlighted the dangers women face from individuals with a history of sexual misconduct who, despite multiple accusations, had previously avoided conviction. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness of Yalcin’s crimes and the community’s demand for justice and safety for women.