Man jailed for six years following rape in Portsmouth city centre.

A 24 year-old man has been jailed for six years following a rape in Portsmouth city centre in February.

We launched an investigation after receiving a report that a 19 year-old woman was raped on Winston Churchill Avenue in the city at around 01:15am on Sunday 11 February.

Specialist officers provided support to the woman involved and following extensive enquiries Sebastine Kava Liliu, aged 24, of no fixed address was charged with rape. He admitted the offence at Portsmouth Crown Court on Monday 18 March and was sentenced to six years in prison at the same court today (Thursday 13 June). He will also be subject to the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Upon sentencing the judge, Michael Bowes KC, said: “What you did that night has had a very profound effect on the aggrieved. As well as the physical damage you caused, you have caused psychological harm that will remain with her for many years, and probably the rest of her life”.

A 28-year-old man from Portsmouth previously arrested on suspicion of rape as part of our enquiries was released without charge and will face no further action.

DI Marcus Baker from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s specialist Operation Amberstone team said: “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that Sebastine Kava Liliu’s behaviour will not be tolerated. He targeted a woman who was enjoying a night out and had attacked her within twenty minutes of first coming into contact with her. Our officers on patrol in the area identified that she was in a distressed state shortly afterwards and an investigation was immediately launched.

“I’m pleased that this sentence will finally provide some closure to his victim. I’d like to commend her bravery and I hope this case encourages others to speak out and seek support if they have been victims of sexual assaults.

“We are continuing to carry out work in Portsmouth to keep people safe in our night time economy. This involves dedicated patrols and work with other agencies, including Portsmouth City Council, the Violent Crime Reduction Unit, and security and staff at all of our licensed premises. We have also been focused on educating the public on what constitutes a sexual offence, how they can report and the support available to them.

“We take all allegations of rape and sexual assault extremely seriously and have specially trained teams that can investigate these kinds of offences and provide support to victims. If you have experienced these kinds of offences, it is our promise to you that you will be heard and listened to, and your report will be believed. We are determined to put victims first and relentlessly pursue offenders, especially when investigating these kinds of cases”

We want to encourage anyone who has been affected by sexual assault to contact police on 101, where you can speak to an officer in confidence.

We recognise that not everyone has the confidence to talk to police about what they have experienced. Please be reassured that there are other services available that can offer you specialist support to help you deal with the impact of abuse.

For information and contact details relating to sexual abuse support services, you can visit our dedicated web page: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/support-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault/