A woman who approached a schoolgirl in the street before luring her into her home, locking the door and subjecting her to a sustained sexual assault has been jailed.
Karen Murerwa, 34, approached the girl while she was walking nearby on 10 March 2026. The pair did not know each other.
Murerwa persuaded the girl to accompany her to a property in Seaton Crescent, Nottingham, before taking her inside and locking the door behind them.
The frightened girl tried to watch where the keys were placed and remember details of her surroundings because she wanted to get home.
Murerwa then tightened her control over the child, giving her alcohol, taking away her phone and making her send a message to her mother claiming she was with a friend.
The girl was subsequently taken upstairs, where Murerwa subjected her to a sustained sexual assault before eventually allowing her to leave.
Police launched an investigation after the victim disclosed what had happened.
Murerwa was arrested and charged before pleading guilty to two counts of sexual assault by penetration and one count of false imprisonment.
Six years and four months in prison
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday 10 September, Murerwa was jailed for six years and four months.
She was also made subject to a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.
Judge James Sampson commended the girl for her bravery in reporting the attack, telling her that by doing so she “may have saved another child from a similar experience”.
Detective Sergeant Nicola Roddis-Ferrari said: “Murerwa deliberately targeted this vulnerable young girl, coerced her into entering her home and restricted her movements before sexually assaulting her.
“Murerwa’s actions have had a huge impact on this girl’s life. She had been kind to Murerwa and wanted to help her, only for her to repay that kindness by sexually assaulting her.
“I’d like to commend her bravery for coming forward, as I know it would have taken great courage to speak to our specially trained officers about what happened and relive her horrendous experience.”
