A Watford man has been jailed at St Albans Crown Court after being found guilty of raping a woman at an address in the town in 2018.
Alireza Ghodrat, aged 25, from Dodd Road, was sentenced to seven years and six months on Tuesday, December 8, following a trial. He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.
The victim met Ghodrat by chance five months prior to the rape. They corresponded with each other via text on a platonic basis.
However, Ghodrat became obsessed with the victim and went to her home without invitation on a number of occasions.
On two occasions, the victim woke up to find him in her bedroom, staring at her. The stalking culminated in him raping her in her kitchen in December 2018, as she was making a hot drink after work.
The victim’s friend, who was worried about the suspect’s strange behaviour, contacted police and an investigation was launched.
Detective Constable Sam Hunt, from the Constabulary’s Sexual Offences Investigation Unit (SOIT), said: “Ghodrat’s actions were absolutely appalling and left his victim living in fear. He behaved obsessively towards her for a number of months before committing a violent rape against her at her home.
“I would like to commend the victim for the bravery and dignity she has shown throughout the trial. The horrific ordeal has left her feeling unsafe in her home, yet Ghodrat showed total disregard for the impact his actions had on her.
“Nothing will ever erase this harrowing ordeal from her memory, but I hope the sentence can at least bring some small sense of closure to her.”
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