KAYON BHOLA AND TWO OTHERS SENTENCED FOR RAPE IN LONDON'S HAMMERSMITH AND SHEPHERD'S BUSH

In a disturbing case that has shocked the London community, three men have been sentenced for their involvement in the heinous assault of a 13-year-old girl. The victim, whose identity remains protected, left her home on September 30 of the previous year and made her way into central London. During her journey, she encountered the three defendants at a tube station in Hammersmith, a busy and well-known area of the city.

According to court proceedings, the three men lured the young girl back to a flat located in the Wood Lane Estates area of Shepherd’s Bush. It was there that she was subjected to a brutal sexual assault. The flat was identified as the residence of Paul Maxwell, 24, who was present during the attack. Maxwell was subsequently sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison after a three-week trial held at Southwark Crown Court.

In addition to Maxwell, Kayon Bhola, aged 29, who was found to have no fixed address at the time, and Jeremiah Jackson, 24, of Longford Court, Acton, were both convicted and sentenced to 11 years each. The court heard emotional testimony from the victim, who read an impact statement describing her feelings of vulnerability and loneliness on the day of the assault. She expressed her anguish, stating, “I have gone over the date a million times thinking of what I could have done differently to change the outcome of what happened to me. No matter what I change, it would’ve ended the same way. This is because these three men, fully grown men, knew exactly what they were going to do as soon as they saw me at Hammersmith.”

Detective Constable Will Murphy, who led the investigation, condemned the attack as a “despicable crime” and emphasized that the offenders will now face the full weight of justice for their “horrendous actions.” He also praised the bravery of the young victim for coming forward and supporting the case, which ultimately led to convictions. Evidence collected during the investigation included CCTV footage showing the group traveling from Hammersmith station to the flat, as well as analysis of phone data that revealed a short video clip of the assault.

All three men were convicted of rape on July 22, with Maxwell also found guilty of an additional count related to the incident. The case has highlighted the importance of community vigilance and the courage of victims in seeking justice for such grave crimes in London.