CARDIFF SEX OFFENDER REMUS HAMZA JAILED FOR 12 YEARS AFTER ASSAULT
Remus Hamza was convicted of raping a 20-year-old woman in the city centre of Cardiff on September 20, as she was walking home after a night out.The victim, who was heavily intoxicated, was approached by Hamza near the National Museum Cardiff around 2am and was forced behind the museum where he raped her behind a bush.
The assault was interrupted when witness Lee Neale took a photograph of Hamza on top of the woman, concerned for her safety.
Hamza denied the charges, claiming the act was consensual, but the jury at Newport Crown Court, which took just over 30 minutes to deliver a guilty verdict, rejected his defense.
It was also revealed that Hamza had a prior conviction for exposure near the same area in March 2014.
Judge David Wynn Morgan described him as a “dangerous offender,” stating that he was waiting in the Museum Avenue area behind City Hall hoping for a vulnerable drunk woman to target, which he did when the victim staggered into his view.
The judge highlighted that Hamza had planned his actions and targeted the woman because she was extremely drunk and unaware, with the intent to exploit her.
Hamza, from Neville Street, Riverside, Cardiff, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, with an extended sentence that could see him released on parole after eight years if deemed safe by the parole board.
He will remain on license until 2032, on the sex offenders register for life, and subject to a sexual offences prevention order.
Police officials described Hamza as a dangerous predatory offender and expressed hope that the verdict would allow the victim to move on from her ordeal, thanking witnesses and the public for their support during the investigation.
