Manchester music student gets 14-year sentence for rape after fleeing abroad

A pianist named Jacek Serafin, aged 30, was sentenced to 14 years in prison in his absence at Manchester Crown Court after fleeing the country before his rape trial. Prosecutors intend to apply for a European Arrest Warrant for him. The court heard that Serafin, a postgraduate student at the Royal Northern College of Music, was caught in a practice room with a woman following an event. A security guard observed Serafin with the woman, who was lying face down. The guard tried to request assistance using his radio but received no response, and Serafin asked him not to report the incident to the police. The judge criticized the college for not adequately supervising the event and called for an investigation into their security procedures. The court found that Serafin likely drugged the woman, leaving her unconscious, despite only recalling drinking two glasses of wine and cider, with toxicology reports not ruling out the use of a 'date rape' drug. The woman reported the assault to police, while Serafin claimed the sex was consensual. Authorities later found a Polish book called "The Game" in his locker, which discussed strategies for 'picking up' women. The victim expressed lasting emotional trauma, stating: "I have not been myself since this happened to me. I have a sense of emptiness that does not go anymore because what happened to me is always there in my mind. Even moments of temporary happiness are tarnished by a permanent sadness." Serafin, previously from Cheapside, was convicted of rape. An RNCM spokesperson noted that security at the college has since been improved, including employing full-time staff and banning social events on-site.