REFUGEE JAILED AFTER RAPING AN 18YEAR OLD IN TAMWORTH
A Kurdish refugee has received a prison sentence after being convicted of raping an 18-year-old woman in a park shortly after they connected through a social media platform.At Stafford Crown Court, it was revealed that Mehmet Ogur, aged 27 and residing at the Holiday Inn Express in Tamworth, assaulted his victim last summer.
He later sent messages that the court described as a complete confession of his guilt.
Ogur was found guilty of both rape and attempted rape following a trial last summer.
Throughout the proceedings, he denied the accusations and claimed that his messages had been misinterpreted due to Google Translate altering their meaning.
The judge, John Edwards, who was assisted by a Turkish interpreter during sentencing, emphasized the significant harm caused to the victim by the assault.
He stated that Ogur’s continued presence in the UK would be a matter for immigration authorities, not the court.
Prior to sentencing, the victim read a statement describing herself as a rape survivor and expressing the profound impact the assault had on her.
She said, “He completely changed me as a person and I don’t think I’ll ever get past it.
He destroyed me.” She added her resolve to fight for justice and others who are too afraid to speak up, lamenting that despite nearly a year passing, the trauma still feels fresh.
In defense of Ogur, solicitor Joseph McKenna highlighted his client’s struggles with anxiety and depression, linked to difficult circumstances faced as a Kurd in Turkey.
According to court testimony, Ogur attacked the woman following consensual cuddling and kissing during a secluded park meeting near Tamworth town center.
The jury, composed of seven women and five men, convicted Ogur after hearing her scream for him to stop as she tried to escape.
Ogur's account was shown to be false; he claimed the acts were consensual and that the messages he sent afterward did not indicate guilt.
Prosecutors presented messages including one apologizing and explaining he could not control himself, describing his actions as a full admission of guilt.
A senior CPS prosecutor praised the case’s thorough investigation, including forensic evidence, CCTV footage, and the brave testimony of the victim, which collectively led to Ogur’s conviction.
Ogur has now been sentenced to seven years in prison.
