An Enfield man has been jailed after he sexually abused a vulnerable woman whilst she slept.
On Saturday, October 26, 2019, the victim went out with friends to a nightclub just off Tottenham Court Road.
The victim - a woman in her 20s - was introduced to Kemalettin Kurt, 28, of Woodstock Crescent, Enfield and they partied with her friends in the club.
At the end of the evening - around 4am on Sunday, October 27 - the victim and her friends went back to a mutual friend's flat for an after party.
The victim remembers relaxing on a sofa, feeling tired and soon falling asleep.
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The Met noted that she suffers from a sleep disorder, meaning she can fall asleep without warning and cannot fight to keep herself awake.
A couple of friends carried the victim onto a bed and went back to the living room.
Kurt entered the room whilst she was asleep and sexually assaulted her, before going back to the living room.
Once she was able to become fully awake she alerted her friends, having realised what had happened to her.
Kurt left the property.
The woman made her way home and, after speaking with other friends, she reported the attack to the police.
An investigation was launched by officers from the Sapphire team based at Charing Cross police station and the victim was supported by a Sexual Offences Investigative Techniques (SOIT) officer.
Kurt was later identified after DNA was found on the victim’s underwear.
He was arrested on Monday, November 4, 2019.
On May 22, 2023, he was found guilty of sexual assault and assault by penetration following a four-day trial at Southwark Crown Court.
Kurt appeared at the same court yesterday (Monday, June 26) where he was sentenced to four years' imprisonment and two years' on an extended license.
He has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
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The victim survivor, said: "When I initially reported the incident, I was hesitant but luckily enough I had friends who encouraged me to report it.
"I’m glad that I did because it ended up being rewarding. I got the justice I needed.
"I had the most supportive SOIT officer who genuinely believed in me.
"She also fought as hard as she could for me and that helped me a lot. I think that’s integral for cases like these.
"The success rate is so low that I always needed that boost to think that I still had a chance at receiving justice.
"I really want others who have been in a similar situation to have the courage to report the incident.
"I also cannot stress the significance of reporting an incident sooner.
"It means you can collect the evidence whilst it’s still fresh in your mind and collect any DNA before it goes away.
"The jury have a lot of pressure to determine someone’s life so making sure the DNA is available to find is key.
"I also encourage people to go straight to the station as doing it online results in the police showing up at your door and depending on the situation you are in, it may not be the best option.
"But most of all, we need people to believe that justice is available for survivors of sexual assault and rape.
"It may not come in the way that you would expect it to but it can be obtainable."
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