Asylum-seeker gets life for rapes

A BOGUS asylum-seeker was given five life sentences yesterday for committing two rapes within 24 hours of each other, just months after he should have been deported.

Sentencing Rashid Musa, 23, at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London, Judge Radford said: "The simple truth is that you are an evil and dangerous man."

He said it had been "utterly lamentable" that the Home Office did not act to deport Musa before the offences were committed. They had left behind "terrified, distressed and traumatised victims", who had tried to commit suicide.

Judge Radford said the life sentences, for two rapes, one attempted rape and two of robbing his two victims, would run concurrently. He also recommended that Musa should be deported on his release.

Musa was also given a 12- month concurrent sentence for an additional charge of theft against one victim. The court was told that Musa, believed to be a Kenyan, arrived in Britain in 1992 after being deported from Brazil and had an onward ticket to Kenya. He claimed to be a Somali and sought asylum.

He was sentenced to 18 months in youth custody after committing a serious sexual offence on a 15-year-old girl in July 1994.

In December 1995 a judge recommended he be deported and, although he was released pending an appeal, that was dismissed in October 1997 and he was due to be deported by 20 November that year. Al-though his papers were sent to an immigration enforcement squad, Musa was not sought, detained or deported.

In February last year he raped a 46-year-old woman cleaner at knifepoint in a London office and the next day raped a 16-year-old schoolboy on a train, also at knifepoint.

Andrew Campbell-Tiech, for the prosecution, told the court yesterday that the effect on Musa's victims had been "catastrophic".

It was later disclosed that both had attempted suicide. His female victim had given up her job.

Graeme Williams QC, for the defence, said that Musa had committed "extremely unpleasant offences". Musa had no roots in Britain and was "anxious to return to Kenya as soon as he can".

Musa was found guilty at the Old Bailey in September last year but sentencing had been delayed for psychiatric reports, which the judge said showed that there were no grounds for making a hospital order. The judge read out sections of the report, which said Musa did not regard his behaviour as a problem.

The report said: "If the woman screamed he held them [sic] tighter. That gave him a buzz and made him feel like a man. If the victim did not scream he felt useless like a baby."

The judge told Musa that it would be at least six and a half years before he could apply for parole but warned him there was no guarantee that would be granted. He added: "I am satisfied that sentences of life imprisonment are required ... It is plain to me that you remain a dangerous man."

The judge commended Metropolitan and British Transport Police officers who had worked on the case and who had helped to bring to justice "a dangerous man".