Umer Sajjad, a rapist, exploited a lady while she slept in a hotel room, awakening to discover him engaging in non-consensual intercourse with her. He subsequently asserted that he had used wine for the first time the previous night due to his religious beliefs.
Umer Sajjad, 24, sexually assaulted a woman at the Village Hotel in Cardiff in 2019 while she was unconscious from excessive alcohol consumption. Upon awakening, the victim discovered the defendant engaged in sexual intercourse with her; when she enquired about his actions, he ceased and expressed remorse.
A sentence hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday revealed that Umer Sajjad had been out in Cardiff city centre on October 6 before returning to the hotel room with the victim. The defendant was let to sleep on the floor; but, in the morning, he ascended to the bed and exploited the victim while she was unconscious.
Umer Sajjad claimed he’d drunk alcohol for the first time on that night due to his religion and had not drunk much but believed this may have disinhibited him. While in bed with the victim he pulled items of her clothing down and penetrated her vagina without consent.
In his sentencing remarks Recorder Dyfed Thomas said: “She was asleep, could not have consented, and did not consent.” Upon being confronted by the victim after she woke up the defendant stopped and she went to the bathroom.. The victim later told a friend about what had happened and the police were called.
Umer Sajjad, of Gillott Road, Birmingham, was arrested and denied the offence but he was found guilty of rape by a jury following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court this year. The court heard he was of previous good character.
In a victim personal statement read out to the court the victim said: “The day I was raped destroyed me in so many ways and I don’t think I will ever understand… He ruined my life by lying and pretending I would have consented. How could I when I was asleep? He’s ruined my life and my children’s lives as they will never get the old me back. I’ll never understand why he did this to me….
“He violated me in the worst way possible… I still cry as though it happened yesterday. I felt violated and will never forget what happened no matter how much support I get…. I feel like I died inside after being raped. Every day is a constant struggle but I owe it to myself and my family to come out the other end now justice has been served.”
Defence barrister Stephen Tettey said his client lacked maturity after choosing to “engage” with the victim in her level of intoxication. He said the defendant was of previous good character and there had been no further incidents since this offence.
Recorder Thomas said: “You committed this offence by taking advantage of a young woman while she was asleep and may have been feeling the effects of the night before with substances and drink having been consumed. She was clearly asleep…
“There is no-one to blame for this offence but you. You took advantage of a young woman as she slept and raped her…. You saw an opportunity to take advantage for your own selfish sexual gratification.”
Umer Sajjad was sentenced to six years and six months imprisonment and will serve two-thirds of the sentence before being released on licence. He was made subject to sex offender notification requirements indefinitely.
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