MAN JAILED FOR 'PLANNED AND PREDATORY' RAPE IN PARK
2025-10-22 17:56: A 29-year-old man has appeared in court accused of raping a woman in a park.Manoj Chinthathira appeared at North Somerset Courthouse earlier charged with two counts of rape and one count of strangulation after the woman was allegedly raped in Victoria Park, Taunton, on Saturday.
Avon and Somerset Police said members of the public found the woman in the park in a distressed state at about 05:00 BST.
Mr Chinthathira will next appear at Taunton Crown Court on 14 November.
Det Sgt Ryan Elkins, from Avon and Somerset Police, said: "This is a positive step in our investigation and our enquiries are ongoing into the incident." "I would like to commend the bravery of the victim for supporting our enquiries to this point and we are grateful for those who have assisted us so far." He added that members of the public should avoid speculating about the case online as it could impact future proceedings.
--------------------------- 2026-01-09 08:10: A court was told that Manoj Chinthathira, 29, of Wilfred Road in Taunton, Somerset, was guilty of planning and executing a 'planned and predatory' rape in a park.
The incident occurred on 11 October 2025 in Victoria Park, where Chinthathira approached a woman during her distress, bought her alcohol, and led her to a secluded bench, where he 'plied' her with alcohol.
Security cameras captured the moment Chinthathira told the victim he was going to rape her, and she repeatedly begged 'please don't.' The police confirmed the attack happened between 23:00 GMT and 05:00.
Chinthathira had initially denied the crime but pleaded guilty after overwhelming evidence.
During the court hearing, His Honour Judge Stephen Climie stated that Chinthathira would be deported after serving six years of his 12-year prison sentence.
