Jail for Edgware man who raped girl on her birthday

A man from Edgware has been jailed for 12 years for raping a girl he groomed on her birthday. Dragos Moisica, 27, a Romanian national of High Street, Edgware, raped the victim on her 12th birthday at a hotel in Kenton. He was jailed on Tuesday, October 6 at Harrow Crown Court having previously been found guilty of rape and sexual assault on a child under 13. He had pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial to sexual activity with a child under 16. Detective Constable Mike Penn, of the sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse command, said: “Moisica preyed on a vulnerable young girl, professing his love for her and showering her with attention, gifts, food and cigarettes. “All the time he was plotting to have sex with her. A 12-year-old girl cannot legally consent to sex and it is only right Moisica will now serve a long period behind bars for rape.” On Tuesday, March 24 the victim told a social worker she’d had sex with a man she called “John” who was aged 27. This had happened on her 12th birthday in November 2013 at a hotel where ‘John’ was staying. A police investigation was launched and the victim revealed further details, including Moisica’s real identity. She said he had given her gifts for her birthday and she loved him and thought he felt the same about her. She had first met Moisica when she moved into the area aged just 11. Moisica was arrested on Friday, 17 April outside his home and subsequently charged. + Moisica was found not guilty of a further three counts of rape against a second victim, a 13-year-old girl.