SUNDERLAND MAN JAILED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AFTER CONTROVERSIAL DEFENSE COMMENTS
Women’s rights activists have criticized the defense lawyer of Derrick Mutambuka, who was convicted of sexually assaulting two women walking home in Sunderland and attacking two men who tried to intervene.Mutambuka was sentenced to nine years and nine months in prison for his crimes, which included forcing his hand down a woman’s trousers and raping her in an alleyway.
During the sentencing, Judge Robert Adams stated, “You were sexually aroused dancing in the club and that continued when you were going home until you committed the offence.
You were determined to have sex with a woman regardless of her views or who she was or whatever her circumstances.
You used violence, judging by the numerous injuries that the victim sustained.
It is a start that you are experiencing some remorse although it is now too late in the day.
Only a lengthy custodial sentence is appropriate.” The defense lawyer, Ekwall Tiwana, remarked, “The general nature of this case is that it is a very serious offence.
Although it is very serious, it is not in fact the most serious.
This defendant was 17 at the time and had no previous convictions.” He also highlighted Mutambuka’s troubled background, noting, “He went back to Rwanda for a short time, so, in his very young years, he was subject to a very unsatisfactory family life.” The commentary from the lawyer was met with shock and condemnation from women’s rights campaigners, with Aisha Ali-Khan calling it “shocking” and condemning the downplaying of the impact of the assaults.
Detective Chief Inspector Phil Bond affirmed that Mutambuka is a dangerous individual and praised the victims for their bravery in coming forward.
The article also references controversial past remarks by judges in other cases, such as a Canadian judge in 2016 and Judge Aaron Persky in California, who sentenced Brock Turner to only three months for sexual assault.
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