Eastbourne rapist has jail sentence increased

Wilfred Marodza, 28, grabbed the woman from behind and dragged her to a wooded area of Dickens Fields in Borough, southeast London, in the early hours of July 20.

He threatened to kill the woman before making her strip and raping her.

The victim feared she would be killed but managed to flee naked as Marodza chased her, explaining to bystanders they were having a ‘domestic’.

He raped her again before she managed to run off and get into a minicab which took her a police station.

An hour later Marodza, who had been drinking at a sports bar, targeted a 25-year-old woman waiting at a bus stop in Borough High Street.

The sex predator put his hand over her mouth and forcing her into Globe Street nearby but ran away when she screamed.

Marodza, a qualified solicitor who worked for Cripps Pemberton Greenish, was identified after he left his rucksack containing his work identification at the scene of the rape.

Judge Nigel Seed sentenced Marodza to 14 years in January but the Solicitor General, Michael Ellis MP, referred the sentencing to the Court of Appeal because it was deemed to be too lenient.

Marodza’s jail term has now been increased to 16 years with a five year extended licence.

After the hearing the Solicitor General said, “Marodza subjected his victims to depraved, callous attacks, resulting in serious emotional trauma.

“I am pleased the Court of Appeal agreed he should serve a longer sentence, and hope the increase brings some comfort to the victims.”

The court heard Marodza had spent the night out at a sports bar drinking with friends.

Edward Lucas, prosecuting, said, “He had been out with some friends around midnight, attended a sports bar where the security staff described the defendant as wearing a white shirt and was carrying a rucksack.

“He was described by the door staff as having an attitude and harassing people and random females described unwanted sexual advances before asking for numbers, grabbing bottoms, gripping arms and boasting how much money he earned that week.

“He went out with one purpose and one purpose in mind.

“The complainant had graduated from university that day and had been out celebrating her first class degree.

“She describes being at a pub and on her mobile phone on the High Street. He grabbed from behind with his hand on her mouth saying, ‘Shut up. If you scream I’m going to kill you’.

“She felt herself being dragged through the church square to Dickens Fields.

“He told her to take her clothes off, told her he was going to kill her and bury her there.

“He told her to say obscene expressions and make sexual noises.

“Following the attack she ran away but he caught up with her and orally raped her again.

“She believed he was going to kill her as he said ‘I’m going to have to bury you now’.

“She was able to recall the defendant arguing with himself saying ‘I don’t want to do this’ and was somehow angry with himself.

“The woman managed to get away from him and ran off, shouting for help.

“It was pouring with rain and she was totally naked, running from the defendant screaming, ‘Help me’.”

Marodza, of Kingston Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, admitted four counts of rape against the first victim and kidnapping and committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence in respect of the second victim.

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