An asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by small boat has been jailed after carrying out a sustained attempted rape on a woman in Hereford.
Mehmet Bulut, 31, was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court after pleading guilty to attempted rape.
Judge Simon Drew KC classified Bulut as a dangerous offender and imposed a six-year prison sentence, with a further three years on extended licence.
Attack captured on CCTV
The court heard Bulut followed the woman near a subway before attacking her at around 4am on August 2.
CCTV captured the assault, during which prosecutors said Bulut removed some of the woman’s clothing while attempting to rape her.
He then walked away before returning and continuing the attack.
As the woman told him to leave her alone, Bulut replied: “Just sex, just sex.”
Judge Drew described the footage as shocking and said the attack on the woman had been terrifying.
Arrested later the same day
Prosecutor Simon Phillips told the court that Bulut had arrived in the UK on Boxing Day 2022.
His asylum application was later withdrawn because of non-compliance, and he became an absconder, the court heard.
Police arrested him later on the day of the attack after receiving information that he was working at Grillology, a restaurant.
Bulut, who was described in court as Turkish-Kurdish and of no fixed address, told officers he had been extremely drunk.
When shown CCTV of the incident, he said he was shocked by what he saw and repeatedly claimed he did not know whether he had tried to rape the woman.
The court heard he had been drinking Jack Daniel’s before the attack.
His defence barrister, Dean Easthope, said relying on drunkenness made the position worse rather than providing an excuse.
Deportation expected
Bulut was sentenced on October 8.
Judge Drew said he understood that Bulut was expected to face deportation because of his immigration status.
