Lewisham man guilty of rape jailed for 12 years

A man has been jailed for 12 years after he raped a woman in Lewisham who had been dropped in the wrong area by a taxi driver.

Danut Bulboana, 21, of no fixed address, was found guilty of two counts of rape and one count of attempting to choke.

The court heard that on August 27, 2019, at around 11.30pm, the victim – a woman in her late 20s – was targeted by Bulboana and was raped in a wooded area near Catford Bridge railway station.

The victim was on her way home after a night out with a friend but got lost after she was dropped at the wrong destination by a taxi.

The victim recalled suddenly finding herself in an unfamiliar wooded area with an unknown man – later identified as Bulboana – who attacked her.

She tried to scream but Bulboana stifled her cries by forcing an unknown item or object into her mouth, choking her. The woman eventually managed to get away from Bulboana and called emergency services.

Police arrived on scene and spoke to the victim who helped officers locate where the offence took place.

They were able to trace Bulboana’s location and, despite altering his appearance by changing his clothing, the woman was able to provide a positive identification and Bulboana was arrested.

Officers were able to charge Bulboana on October 25, 2019, after forensic examinations linked him to the crime.

Detective Constable Dean Young, who led the investigation, said: “This was a brutal and extremely sinister attack in which Bulboana preyed on the vulnerability of a lone woman at night. I would like to commend the sheer bravery displayed by the victim who quickly called police after being subjected to a truly horrific ordeal. Her actions resulted in a dangerous man being detained by officers within an hour of the attack, and subsequently being sentenced for his crimes.

“This case demonstrates our commitment to removing sexual predators from the streets of London and ensuring they are brought to justice. Rape and sexual offences often inflict lasting trauma on victims, but I hope that Bulboana’s conviction will help the victim’s recovery process somewhat.

“If you are a victim of a sexual crime, please tell us – you will be supported by specialist officers who are trained to help and guide victims throughout their recovery process.”