Michael Chand, a 46-year-old man from Acacia Gardens, Tottenham, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 10 years to be served at Wood Green Crown Court on April 24th. He was convicted on February 16th of three counts of rape and one count of assault after a trial at the same court.

The Metropolitan Police revealed that on August 16th, Chand lured the victim to his residence. Upon her arrival, he asked if she found him attractive, and when her response did not meet his expectations, he became verbally abusive and aggressive. Chand prohibited her from leaving the house, physically assaulted her, and made violent threats towards her and people she knew. Despite the victim’s repeated refusals, Chand continued to assault her before raping her on three occasions.

Two days later, on August 18th, another woman reported to the police that she had been raped by a man she had recently met, identified as Chand. She informed the authorities that she had recently developed a friendship with Chand after meeting him less than a week prior. Following the report, detectives initiated a search for Chand, who had left London. Upon his return later that day, Chand was apprehended and charged.

Initially, Chand attempted to shift blame onto the victim, claiming that she had initiated the contact and pursued his company. However, through phone data analysis, officers disproved his claims and gathered strong evidence against him. Detective Constable Cameron Crighton, who spearheaded the investigation, labeled Chand as a sexual predator who subjected the victim to abhorrent sexual and physical abuse. Commending the victim for her bravery in reporting the crimes, providing a detailed account, and testifying in court, Crighton emphasized the significance of her role in securing the conviction.

Crighton urged others who have experienced sexual assault to come forward and speak to the authorities as they take such offenses seriously.