Illegal Migrant Jailed for 21 Years After Brutal Rape of Semi-Conscious Woman in London
An Algerian man who was living and working illegally in the UK has been sentenced to 21 years in prison after being convicted of repeatedly raping a semi-conscious woman he dragged off a London street in a shocking attack captured on CCTV.
Salem Rekoub, 28, assaulted the woman, who is in her 40s, in Chelsea during the early hours of July 2024. Footage presented in court showed Rekoub, dressed in turquoise Deliveroo clothing, pulling the unconscious victim by her arms down a side street before attacking her between two parked cars.
At Isleworth Crown Court, Rekoub was found guilty of three counts of rape and two counts of assault by penetration. The judge described him as a danger to the public while handing down the 21-year sentence.
The victim had been returning home after spending the evening with friends when she became unwell on a bus. After getting off early, she collapsed on the pavement, where Rekoub—who had never met her—found her unconscious and dragged her away from public view.
During the 17-minute assault, the woman drifted in and out of consciousness as Rekoub repeatedly told her, “You need to be quiet.” Medical examinations later documented 33 bruises across her body as a result of the attack.
Following the assault, Rekoub attempted to mislead authorities by calling 999 and falsely claiming the woman had simply consumed too much alcohol. Prosecutors told the court he provided police with a false name while pretending to be a concerned member of the public.
CCTV footage also revealed Rekoub following the victim’s ambulance to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, where he was seen smiling as he wandered through hospital corridors and looked into triage rooms in an apparent attempt to locate her. When questioned by a staff member, he replied, “I’m here to find someone.”
During sentencing, the court heard that Rekoub had entered Britain on a tourist visa after fleeing violence in Algeria, but had remained in the country illegally while working unlawfully as a Deliveroo rider. The judge said the seriousness of his crimes warranted a lengthy custodial sentence to protect the public.
Comments