ROMFORD MAN JAILED FOR MURDER AND RAPE OF MOTHER OF TWO
A man responsible for the murder of a vulnerable mother of two has received an additional five-year prison sentence for her sexual assault.Valentin Lazar, who is 23 years old, was initially sentenced to life imprisonment in February 2022 after being convicted of murdering Maria Rawlings, aged 45, in Romford, east London, on 4 May 2021.
Ms Rawlings sustained multiple injuries during an assault that occurred after she left King George Hospital in Ilford.
Lazar, formerly of Newham, appeared at the Old Bailey via video link from HMP Frankland to face sentencing for rape.
Judge Mark Lucraft KC stated that Lazar had confessed to a probation officer during his detention in March 2022 that he had raped Ms Rawlings, which prompted a police interview and ultimately led to Lazar’s guilty plea on 11 March this year.
The judge mentioned that Lazar admitted to removing Ms Rawlings’ clothing before raping her and acknowledged that she did not consent to sexual activity.
The court also noted that Lazar took her handbag after her death in an attempt to make her death appear as a robbery.
During the original murder trial, there was not enough evidence to indicate a sexual motive, which might have resulted in a different sentencing approach.
Lazar was sentenced to an extra five years to be served consecutively after his current minimum term of 23 years and six months, meaning he will complete this sentence after serving his initial term before possible release.
His defense team argued that Lazar’s confession was made voluntarily to relieve his conscience and that his guilty plea could provide some closure for the victim’s family.
Tony Rawlings, Ms Rawlings’ father, spoke emotionally in a victim impact statement, describing her as a kind and generous individual willing to help others.
He expressed that her death resulted from a moment of anger, saying, 'Fifteen minutes of anger towards a defenseless grandmother caused a lifetime of pain.'
