Man jailed for attempted rape

A man has been sentenced to six years and five months in prison for the attempted rape of a woman in a bar in the City of London.

In the early hours of Monday 27 February 2024, Rizwan Afzal, 52, of Pine Road, London, carried out a sustained sexual assault on the victim, who was unconscious inside a closed licensed premises.

The victim reported the incident to the police on 9 April 2024.

Officers obtained CCTV footage which revealed the extent of the sexual violence carried out by Afzal and investigators found Afzal from information linked to a mobile phone number given to police. He was arrested on 24 April 2024.

As well as pleading guilty to attempted rape, he also pleaded guilty to sexual assault and attempt to cause a woman to engage in a penetrative sexual activity.

Detective Constable Olivia Hall, in the Public Protection Unit at the City of London Police, said:

“I would like to praise the bravery and courage shown by the victim in reporting to the police and throughout the investigation.

“We are committed in tackling violence against women and girls, and we take all reports of rape and sexual assault seriously and encourage victims to report their experience to police, no matter the length of time that has passed.

“We will believe you, listen and support you throughout every step of the investigation and do everything we can to bring the offender to justice.”

Anyone with information or wants to report a sexual offence is asked to call 101 where you will be spoken to by specially trained officers, or you can pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always call 999.

You can find more information on reporting rape and sexual abuse on our website along with supporting agencies: https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rsa/rape-and-sexual-assault/support-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault/.