Chichester Rapist Ion Gheorghe Tanasie, a man who perpetrated ‘brutal’ rapes against two ‘vulnerable’ women has been sentenced to imprisonment.
Ion Gheorghe Tanasie has been sentenced following his conviction for ten sexual crimes at Portsmouth Crown Court. He received a 21-year sentence and six years on license at Salisbury Crown Court in May.
Her Honour Judge Evans KC, at Salisbury Crown Court, characterised Ion Gheorghe Tanasie’s actions as ‘brutal, callous, and cruel’ and said they were ‘provoked by the agony and harshness of his conduct.’
She added: ‘Both women were vulnerable, and you took advantage to abuse them, and the effects were devastating, with huge psychological impacts on both women.’
The 40-year-old, Ion Gheorghe Tanasie, committed the first atrocity in Chichester on the evening of July 24, 2022. Ion Gheorghe Tanasie, of Pound Farm Road, Chichester, raped a woman within the grounds of St Paul’s Church. The victim managed to get to the town centre shortly after the sexual assault.
She met some friends, who then reported it to Sussex Police. Ion Gheorghe Tanasie was nominated as a suspect after the woman’s clothes were examined.
Interpol identified him after Ion Gheorghe Tanasie was not found on the UK DNA database. Police then received a report of a woman also being raped in The Hornet in North Street.
The offence happened on September 19, 2022, in the evening. Ion Gheorghe Tanasie was seen on CCTV – with officers arresting him within days.
Ion Gheorghe Tanasie was charged rape, sexual assault, and two counts of assault by penetration for the first incident. For the second, he was charged with rape, attempted rape, assault by penetration, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and two counts of sexual assault.
Sussex police detectives linked the two cases, then remanded Ion Gheorghe Tanasie in custody to prevent further offending. The 40-year-old denied the charges, but was convicted at Portsmouth Crown Court on February 24, 2023.
Senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Alex Campbell, said: ‘This was a complex investigation where Tanasie deliberately targeted vulnerable women whilst they were out in public.
‘The quick work of the investigation team to link these two offences and identify Ion Gheorghe Tanasie using international DNA databases led to a swift arrest and the removal of a dangerous individual from our streets.
‘I would like to praise the courage of the victims in this Investigation for coming forward to report these horrendous crimes and their ongoing support through to – and including – the trial.
‘The impact this offending has had on the victims is huge and having to relive that experience through the court process has brought that trauma back. I thank them for their bravery and with them we have been able to get the justice they deserve.’
Chief Inspector Nick Bowman, District Commander for Arun and Chichester, added: ‘This result did not come about by accident; it is through our officers’ tenacity, hard work and support for the victims that provided such strong evidence to the courts for what was an extremely serious and concerning set of behaviours.
‘People should feel confident and safe in their community.’
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.