Darlington Asante, 27, exploited a vulnerable, drunk woman before dragging her to his makeshift shelter and raping her. The judge at Leeds Crown Court described the attack as a cold, calculated crime carried out by a “danger to women.”
Calculated Attack on Intoxicated Victim
The Ghanaian-born defendant pretended to be a Good Samaritan after spotting the woman fall and hit her head on the pavement in Leeds’ Holbeck area. Rather than help, Asante “clearly assessed her vulnerability” and planned the assault, Judge Robin Mairs said.
“Her vulnerability was blindingly obvious. You deliberately decided to seize upon her vulnerability,” the judge told Asante. “This was not spontaneous or opportunistic. You made a full assessment of how incapable she was. You took the callous, calculated and deliberate decision to rape her.”
Victim’s Harrowing Account
The woman, who was out with friends before the attack in April last year, described the lasting trauma in a victim impact statement. Prosecutor Jayne Beckett read: “What happened to me has changed my life in a way I will carry forever. I know it was not my fault, but I find it difficult not to find ways to blame myself.”
She revealed she had to undergo invasive medical tests and suffers ongoing emotional scars. “I’m strong and committed to rebuilding, but the trauma of this experience will never leave me,” she said.
Justice Served: 12 Years Behind Bars
Asante, who has a criminal record for theft and vehicle offences, was arrested but refused to cooperate with the police. He later tried to claim the sex was consensual, but a jury rejected his defence at trial.
Judge Mairs handed him a nine-year prison sentence plus a three-year extended licence, totalling 12 years. He was also placed on the sex offender register for life. “The damage you caused is permanent. Every day there are feelings of despair, guilt and fear,” the judge said.
