Pictured: Eritrean migrant, 33, who raped an elderly man outside a church after dragging him off a bench
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By RORY TINGLE, HOME AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT and JOE ROSSITER, REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
An Eritrean man who raped a pensioner outside a church can today be pictured for the first time.
Bruke Desalagne, 33, dragged the victim off a bench before taking him behind a hoarding at St John's church in Harrow, north London and raping him on a grass verge.
He continued the horrific attack for 20 minutes before a witness saw what was happening from her window and called police.
CCTV showed cars and a double-decker bus passing close to where Desalagne attacked the pensioner at around midnight on July 23 last year.
The defendant, who used an interpreter during the trial, told police in an interview he had been trying to help the victim, who was drunk and cannot be named for legal reasons.
But after being shown the footage from a council camera he stopped the interview, spoke with his solicitor and refused to speak further or testify at trial.
Desalagne had moved the man from a bench to the grassy area outside the church to carry out the assault before officers arrived to find him standing behind the church sign as the victim remained lying behind it.
Bruke Desalange, 33, hauled the man off the bench where he had been sitting down before taking him behind a hoarding and raping him on a grass verge
St John's church in Harrow, north London
Simon Shannon, prosecuting, told Harrow Crown Court: 'You can see the defendant dragging the heavily intoxicated victim from the bench where he was sitting, and dragging him to the grass area.'
He said the footage showed Desalagne pausing the attack whenever a member of the public walked nearby.
Bibi Ihuomah, defending, said there was no evidence that the pensioner had been raped and told jurors not to have a 'knee-jerk' reaction.
The defendant remained emotionless during the trial and sipped water as the footage was played.
Detective Constable Luke Revill said Desalagne was a 'dangerous offender' who 'targeted a defenceless, vulnerable, elderly man'.
'Thanks to members of the public alerting the police, he was arrested at the scene, charged the following day and remanded by the courts. We are committed to bringing sexual predators like Desalange to justice.
'We would urge anyone who has been the victim of similar offending to get in touch with the police. You will be supported and listened to by officers.'
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