EXTRADITED ROMANIAN RAPIST SENTENCED TO 7.5 YEARS IN READING
A man from Romania, who was extradited to the United Kingdom after being charged with two counts of rape, has received a prison sentence.Stefan Paladuta assaulted a woman in her late teens at his residence in Reading in June 2017.
After the attack, Paladuta left the UK and returned to Romania before formal charges were brought.
He was subsequently extradited back to the UK to face trial.
Earlier this month, the 29-year-old admitted to two counts of rape during a hearing at Reading Crown Court and was sentenced to seven and a half years behind bars.
According to police, the woman had fallen asleep on a friend's doorstep when Paladuta picked her up and took her to his home.
There, he raped her twice and attempted to perform another sexual act before she managed to escape.
DNA evidence led to his identification, and he was arrested over a year after the incident; however, charges were not filed until 2022, by which time Paladuta had returned to Romania.
Detective Sergeant Maggie Bruce of Thames Valley Police praised the victim’s resilience in seeking justice.
She described the case as long and complex, and highlighted the courage the victim showed throughout.
Bruce added that the victim should be proud of her achievements and is capable of achieving success in her future.
In addition to his prison term, an offence of attempted rape was also recorded against Paladuta to remain on his criminal record.
