A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to six years and three months in prison for raping a woman he met at a Southampton nightclub in a harrowing attack that took place in a local park.
Ozbeg Teymuroglu, of no fixed address, was found unanimously guilty following a four-day trial at Southampton Crown Court. The court heard how he lured his victim – a woman in her 40s – from The Edge nightclub under the false pretence of reuniting her with her friends.
The attack occurred in the early hours of 5 June when Teymuroglu, who had entered the club around 1am, approached the victim who had become separated from her friends. CCTV evidence showed the pair briefly dancing before the victim declined his suggestion to leave together, stating she wished to stay with her friends.
At approximately 4:25am, Teymuroglu was captured on CCTV leading the victim outside, claiming he had seen her friends leave. He guided her into East Park, where he then assaulted her in a secluded area after she attempted to return to the nightclub upon realising her friends would not be there.
The victim managed to escape by cleverly creating a story about needing to make a phone call. She immediately reported the incident to police after finding her friend back at the venue.
Police identified Teymuroglu through venue CCTV footage and his nightclub entry identification. He was arrested two days later in Milton Keynes and subsequently charged with rape.
At his sentencing on Friday 6 December, Teymuroglu was ordered to serve six years and three months behind bars and will be placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.
The conviction comes as part of ongoing efforts by Hampshire Police to combat sexual offences in the nighttime economy and ensure the safety of residents enjoying Southampton’s nightlife.
