Birmingham man sentenced for broad daylight rape

A man who attacked and dragged a woman to a wooded area before raping her in broad daylight has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 13 years.

Mustafa Hakim, 30, of Quinton, Birmingham was sentenced today (18 August 2023) at Birmingham Crown Court for rape, kidnapping, non-fatal strangulation, and other charges. He had been convicted on 26 January 2023 following a trial at the same court.

On 28 July last year, Hakim, who was unknown to the victim, approached the woman as she walked on Bourne Brook Walkway in Selly Oak to catch a bus to work.

He then physically lifted her while covering her mouth with his hand and carried her towards the bushes where he threatened to kill her and then raped her.

The woman was able to call her boyfriend for help on her mobile phone which caused Hakim to stop the attack and run off with the woman’s phone.

When he was arrested, he denied the offences, but the CPS built a strong case using CCTV and DNA evidence which led to the jury convicting him of all charges earlier this year.

Doug Paterson of the CPS said: “This was a horrendous attack on a stranger in broad day light. Mustafa Hakim showed no regard for the victim or her welfare and was even brazen enough to carry out the attack in a public place. The victim has been through a terrible ordeal which will no doubt stay with her for many years, and I hope that today’s sentence brings a sense of closure to her so that she can move forward with her life. Hakim will now spend a considerable amount of time behind bars where he can no longer pose a threat to women.”