Elijah Ofereh-Mugbeh, aged 26, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for raping a 12-year-old girl he met on a hook-up app. The harrowing incident, which occurred in 2018, saw Ofereh-Mugbeh videoing the assault for another woman to watch on FaceTime.
During the trial at the Bristol Crown Court, it was revealed that Ofereh-Mugbeh claimed he believed the victim was 18 years old, despite evidence suggesting otherwise. Judge Philip Shorrock dismissed this defence, emphasizing that it would have been obvious to anyone spending time with the victim that she was much younger.
Ofereh-Mugbeh, of Whitcher Close in Deptford, was found guilty of three counts of raping a child under 13. The court heard that he met the victim on an app typically used for arranging sexual encounters and took her virginity at an address after meeting at a station.
Despite the girl expressing reluctance, Ofereh-Mugbeh proceeded with the sexual activity. The judge emphasized that this did not provide a defence against the charges due to the victim’s age.
Judge Shorrock handed Ofereh-Mugbeh an eight-year custodial sentence, emphasizing that the offender demonstrated a callous disregard for the victim’s well-being.
The Met Police, however, declined to release Ofereh-Mugbeh’s custody image, citing concerns for his safety. This decision has sparked debate regarding the principles of open justice and the public’s right to be informed about dangerous individuals.
