Room for Horror: Man Jailed for Raping Women Renters
Mamun Rashid, 30, of Tower Hamlets, has been slammed with an 18-year jail sentence for raping women who rented his spare room. The depraved landlord was handed 14 years in prison plus an extra 4 years after being declared dangerous at Wood Green Crown Court on Friday, 27 April.
Deceptive SpareRoom Adverts Led to Nightmare
Rashid used house-sharing site SpareRoom to lure women aged 18 to 45 to his flat. He cunningly offered free rent in exchange for sex. When the women refused, he violently assaulted them.
The attacks happened between August 2016 and May 2017 at his Jodrell Road home in Tower Hamlets. His victims were three women aged 19, 22, and 29.
One 19-year-old moved in on 7 May 2017, only to be raped that very evening. Rashid threatened to kill her if she screamed or called police. She fought back, shouting for help, and he eventually let her go. The brave victim reported him to police early on 8 May.
Multiple Victims Come Forward After Police Probe
Following Rashid’s arrest on 9 May 2017, police enlisted SpareRoom’s help. They contacted around 3,000 people who had engaged with Rashid since 2014. This led two more victims to speak out:
- A 29-year-old woman reported she was raped in August 2016.
- A 22-year-old woman claimed sexual assault in April 2017 while renting from Rashid.
Rashid denied the charges but was found guilty of multiple counts including five rapes, attempted rape, sexual assault, actual bodily harm, and threatening to kill.
Police & SpareRoom Urge Victims to Speak Out
“Rashid’s vile attacks caused serious physical and psychological harm,” said Detective Constable Stav Georgiou-Moran. “These women’s courage in coming forward was vital to securing justice.”
SpareRoom Communications Director Matt Hutchinson added: “We are appalled by these incidents and stand fully with the victims. User safety remains our top priority, and we’ve cooperated fully with police throughout.”
If you were a victim of Mamun Rashid, contact the sexual offences investigation team in Holborn on 020 8733 5999, quoting Operation Montville, or call police on 101.
