Rapist Jailed For Eight Years
Shepherd's Bush student was attacked in 1999
A man has been jailed for eight years for the rape of a Shepherd's Bush student in 1999.
Kazimierz Sadowski from Barking in Essex was caught after being arrested for a separate drink driving offence in 2008. His DNA was found to match a sample taken from the victim's clothes at the time of the attack ten years ago.
The victim - a 19-year-old Polish student - was attacked on 4 July 1999 after she had been out in Leicester Square with three female acquaintances.
She and her friends were walking towards Piccadilly Circus to catch the bus back to Shepherd's Bush, when they were approached by two men in a car and offered a lift home. After the first three women had been dropped off, Sadowski drove his car into a side street where he and his friend repeatedly raped the teenager.
Despite their enquiries at the time, police were unable to trace Sadowski until he was arrested for drink driving last year.
However, while waiting for the trial to begin, the 33-year-old Sadowski instigated a campaign of intimidation against the victim and her family to try and force her to drop the case. She refused and the trial went ahead at Southwark Crown Court in September 2009. The jury returned a guilty verdict and Sadowski was sentenced to eight years for each of three counts of rape, and two years for each of two counts of indecent assault. All sentences will run concurrently.
DC Claire Watts, from the Metropolitan Police Cold Case Sapphire Investigation Team, said: "Kazimierz Sadowski subjected this woman to a lengthy, terrifying and violent attack. The jury rightly saw through his lies and upheld the victim's account of being repeatedly raped and indecently assaulted.
"Today's sentencing reflects the seriousness with which all sexual assaults will be dealt and is some recognition of the bravery of the victim in continuing to support the prosecution despite the intimidation she and her family were subjected to. I hope that this acts as a reassurance to any other victim that the Met will do everything we can to support victims in seeking justice."
The other man is still wanted and the three female acquaintances, who the victim knew only by their first names, never came forward or got in contact with the victim again and police have been unable to trace them.
If anyone has information on the identity of the other man, also believed to be Polish Romany, they are urged to contact the Sapphire Cold Case team on 020 7321 7314 or if you wish to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. If English is not your first language translators can be provided.
11 December 2009
