Woman sexually assaulted by married man who had been 'lurking' in Norwich

Florenc Xhaferrllari, 28, attacked the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as she left Mantra nightclub on Prince of Wales Road in Norwich at about 4am.

Prince of Wales Road at night. Picture: Denise Bradley (Image: Archant 2012)

Norwich Crown Court heard the victim, then 18, had been walking back to her car at Mountergate car park, near Rose Lane, when she was attacked.

Duncan O'Donnell, prosecuting, said after leaving to go home the victim "became aware that a man was following her".

He said: "As she turned around, having heard a man running behind her, she saw Florenc Xhaferrllari running up to her."

Mr O'Donnell said the victim “tried to ignore him”.

After she refused a cigarette, Mr O’Donnell said Xhaferrllari “grabbed her roughly”.

She told him not to touch her which “angered him” and he “grabbed her more roughly”.

Mr O’Donnell said she began screaming and “tried to kick him in the genitals”.

The defendant told the victim “just have sex with me” before grabbing her again and forcing her to the floor.

The court heard he put his hand over her mouth as the victim screamed “help me, someone help”.

Mr O’Donnell said she screamed for help about 20 times but Xhaferrllari put his hand over her mouth and then sexually assaulted her.

The victim, who feared she was going to be raped, continued to scream out for help with those who heard her cries calling police.

She managed to bite his hand and he released his grip and as the victim continued to scream he “got up and ran off”.

Before he was arrested at a taxi rank in the city, Xhaferrllari saw the victim who managed to get back to her car and he gave her a smile and a thumbs up.

After being arrested the defendant was to tell police "I feel good, but bad for what I did".

He said he was very drunk and would have to say to his wife "I did something wrong last night".

Xhaferrllari, from Kensington Place, off City Road, Norwich, appeared in court for sentence on Monday (December 20) having previously admitted assault by penetration on July 20, 2016.

Mr O’Donnell said after being initially being arrested Xhaferrllari “skipped police bail” and went to Albania, Italy, Germany and Hungary.

A European arrest warrant was issued in 2017 and he was arrested earlier this year before he admitted the offence.

Before Xhaferrllari was sentenced the victim read out an emotional impact statement which described the severe psychological harm she had suffered.

She said she has been left “scarred” because of what he did to her as her family have.

She said: “What he did will affect me for life.“

The victim said it has changed the way she feels about men and how she was an object to be used and that is all she was.

The victim also described feeling let down when he fled and feared she would not get justice.

Sentencing Xhaferrllari to a total of five years in prison Judge Anthony Bate said Xhaferrllari had “targeted a lone young woman” as she walked home.

Judge Bate said it had been a “sustained and violent assault” by the defendant who had been “lurking” on Prince of Wales Road and who decided to commit a serious sexual assault on the victim.

Xhaferrllari was also made the subject of an indefinite restraining order banning him from contacting the victim again.

Judge Bate said the defendant, who was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely, faces deportation back to his native Albania.

Matthew McNiff, mitigating, said the defendant, who was 23 at the time of the offence, had no previous convictions adding his client was anxious to offer unqualified apologies to the victim.