Ex-Charlton footballer found guilty of raping teenager and sharing indecent images of child

By Calum Fraser

An ex-Charlton footballer has been found guilty of raping a teenager and taking indecent images of a child.

Montell Moore, 22, who assaulted the teen when he was playing for Charlton in 2016, was sentenced to 11 years and six months’ in prison for two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.

He left the Addicks without playing a senior game.

In the early hours of March 12, 2016, the victim, who was 17 at the time, had arranged to meet Moore, via the dating app Tinder, the jury at Isleworth Crown Court heard.

Moore picked the victim up at a bus stop in his car and took her to his friend Sofian Zoberi’s house in Hounslow.

At the house Moore and the victim had consensual sex in the living room. He began to persistently ask if he could record the sex on his mobile phone. The victim said no, but Moore began to record anyway.

The teenager was then forced to partake in further sexual acts she did not agree to.

She was then taken upstairs by Moore who introduced Zoberi without her consent. He forced himself on her despite her repeated demands for him to leave her alone. When she refused, Moore demanded the victim do as she was told before she was then sexually assaulted again by Zoberi.

Police were contacted soon after the attack. Moore and Zoberi were arrested on 15 March 2016.

They were charged on September 14, 2017, with rape, sexual assault, taking indecent images of a child and distribution of indecent images of a child.

Zoberi, 23, was sentenced to eight years and six months’ imprisonment for one count of rape and sexual assault.

Both men had previously pleaded guilty to taking indecent images of a child and distributing indecent images of a child.

They will also be placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Detective Constable Jonny Norman, of the Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command, said: “I would like to commend the victim, who is young woman and has endured not only a serious ordeal at the hands of Moore and Zoberi, but a very difficult and challenging time during the trial too.

“We are pleased to have secured this verdict which will, I hope, give courage to other victims of sexual assault to come forward to police and be assured that we will thoroughly investigate.”