An East Sussex man who assaulted a vulnerable woman in a McDonald’s toilet in Birmingham has been given an extended prison sentence

Karsan Rasul, 23, of St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court to 13 years and 10 months imprisonment with a four-year extended licence period.

He was convicted of oral rape and assault by penetration at the same court on 3 May 2023 after a trial.

On 27 October last year, the woman and her friends stopped at the McDonald’s branch in Birmingham following a night out. She left her friends to go to the toilet, and Rasul who was wearing a balaclava, raped and sexually assaulted the intoxicated woman in the ladies’ toilets. She struck him several times him to fight him off and he hastily left.

A witness, who entered the toilet as Rasul fled, came to the aid of the complainant. The complainant’s friends were concerned when she did not return from the toilet and found her in distress when they went in search of her. They then alerted security and phoned the police.

When Rasul was arrested nearby, he racially abused one of the officers and he has been sentenced to one month imprisonment to be served concurrently for that offence.

During his trial, he denied raping the woman and claimed the contact was consensual, but thanks to the complainant's testimony and key witness evidence, the CPS proved that Rasul significantly planned the offence. Ian Crooks of the CPS said:

“Karsan Rasul demonstrated predatory behaviour when he targeted a vulnerable stranger in a McDonald’s toilet.

“He wore a balaclava and waited near the toilets for a lone woman, and then forced her into a cubicle where he raped and sexually assaulted her.  

“The testimony provided by the complainant and witnesses was crucial in obtaining a conviction in this case.

“Women should be able to enjoy a night out without fear of being raped or sexually assaulted, and the CPS will continue to work closely with the police and other criminal justice partners to bring perpetrators to justice.”