A 40-year-old Northampton Rapist Mohammed Ali Sheikh was convicted of rape after the conclusion of his trial at Northampton Crown Court last week.
In the early hours of May 28 of this year, Mohammed Ali Sheikh, formerly of St Michael’s Road, Northampton, forcibly engaged in sexual intercourse with a woman on two occasions inside a residence on Clare Street, Northampton.
Subsequent to the encounter, the woman successfully fled the location and shortly thereafter reported the occurrence to Serenity, the Sexual Assault Referral Centre, and to law enforcement.
The Force’s SOLAR Team initiated an investigation that encompassed many lines of inquiry to ascertain the precise location of the incident and identify the accountable parties.
The expedited investigation resulted in Mohammed Ali Sheikh’s arrest, leading to charges of two counts of rape and an additional charge of attempted rape.
A trial occurred from December 2 to December 19, lasting 10 days, culminating in the jury’s verdict of guilty on all three charges.
Lead investigator – Detective Constable Elisha Lofthouse, said: “The woman in this case has shown exceptional courage throughout the court process and I want to thank her for her bravery, her support, and the trust she put in us to investigate what happened to her.
“Mohammed Ali Sheikh was found guilty by the jury after just over five hours of deliberation and I am glad that he will be starting the new year looking at a long stretch in prison.
“Though no amount of time behind bars will be enough to make up for what he did, I hope the survivor feels some sense of closure and justice as a result of this conviction.
“Tackling violence and women and girls remains a priority for Northamptonshire Police and everyone in the SOLAR Team is extremely passionate about protecting survivors of sexual offences and bringing the offenders to justice.”
Mohammed Ali Sheikh will be sentenced on February 14, 2025.
This report has been released with the support of the survivor, who has the legal right to lifelong anonymity
If you have been a victim of sexual abuse, whether recent or non-recent, please come forward by calling 101 or via the online reporting tool at www.northants.police.uk.
We will believe you.
If you have been a victim of rape or sexual abuse, but are not yet ready to speak to the police, please visit www.nhft.nhs.uk/serenity or call Serenity on 01604 601713.
Serenity provides free, confidential 24/7 support.
You can also visit www.voicenorthants.org or call Voice on 0300 303 1965.
Voice is a support service for anyone living in Northamptonshire, regardless of when, where or how crime happened to you. Services are free, confidential and you don’t have to have reported anything to the police.
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.