MAN HAS BEEN JAILED FOR 13 YEARS AFTER BEING FOUND GUILTY OF TWO COUNTS OF RAPE AND COERCIVE AND CONTROLLING BEHAVIOUR
A 41-year-old man has received a 13-year prison sentence after being found guilty on two counts of rape as well as coercive and controlling behavior.Aftab Zulfiqar (born 09/03/1985), who has no fixed address, was sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on 15 April 2026.
The victim demonstrated remarkable bravery by coming forward to report Zulfiqar, initiating a process in which she had to confront and revisit intensely traumatic experiences in the pursuit of justice.
She was in a relationship with Zulfiqar for three years, during which she suffered ongoing and worsening abuse that significantly affected her life.
During this period, Zulfiqar exerted comprehensive control over her daily life dictating her clothing choices, sleep patterns, diet, communication, and lifestyle—effectively isolating her from friends and support systems.
His persistent insistence on contact while she was at work caused her considerable stress, ultimately leading her to leave a job she cherished and becoming more dependent on him.
Throughout their relationship, Zulfiqar assaulted her sexually on multiple occasions, abusing the trust inherent in their relationship and manipulating her into believing that what was happening was not rape.
Over the span of three years, she endured mental, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.
Despite these hardships, she demonstrated exceptional courage by using the LiveChat feature in October 2023 to report Zulfiqar, which led to his arrest.
LiveChat provides a discreet platform to report crimes.
She cooperated fully with law enforcement and testified in court against the man who inflicted abuse upon her.
The survivor, in her victim impact statement, said: “My relationship with Aftab has had a huge impact on my life, more than can be put into words really.
I had little confidence any way but since being with Aftab, I have none at all.
“He drilled it into me that much that I’m ugly and worthless that I believed it and now struggle with confidence, and I don’t want to meet anyone.
“I don’t think I could ever trust someone again, I gave Aftab everything and he was never nice to me.
“I was so scared of doing anything wrong.
At the smallest thing, he would attack me then throw me out of his flat.
“I was always to blame for everything – he once stood on the plug of my hair dryer and then smashed my hairdryer up and physically attacked me because it was somehow my fault.
“It makes me worried for future relationships and how I’ll be because I am so deeply hurt.
“I really feel that my relationship with Aftab and everything he has put me through will stay with me forever, but I’m determined that he hasn’t won, and I can now start to live a peaceful life after being put through 5 and a half years of hell.” Following his arrest, Zulfiqar continued to cause distress by posting about the investigation and those involved on social media, leading to his remand in custody, where he has remained since September 2024.
