Student bravely speaks out over rape as attacker is jailed for six years

A student has told how she put her life on hold to get justice after she was raped by a 45-year-old man who followed her home.

Mohsen Gheibi, of Stapledon Road in Easton, was jailed for six years and nine months at Bristol Crown Court on Friday (10 June) after being found guilty of raping the woman in May 2019.

The court heard how Gheibi walked alongside his victim, then aged 19, as she made her way home before following her to her bedroom and raping her.

Today, the victim has shared her experiences in the hope it would encourage other victims of sexual assault and rape to come forward.

In a statement, she said: “The dreams I held where I felt like I could do anything, were now replaced with an embodiment of shame, disgust and hate for myself. I was numb, frozen in time as the world moved past me.

“I put my life on hold for three years to get justice. I am no longer the same person I once was. I have had to fight for my life, reshape it and rebuild who I am from the ground up.”

She ended her statement, saying: “I hope no one goes through what I go through as I know I am lucky to be alive today.”

Gheibi was arrested six days after the attack.

Detective Constable Katrina Collier, said: “Gheibi took advantage of a vulnerable 19-year-old woman, late at night and showed no remorse for his actions. His actions have clearly devastated the past three years of the victim’s life and we hope that this sentencing gives her the justice she so rightly deserves.

If you have been a victim of sexual assault or rape, no matter how long ago it was committed, please call 101.

If you don’t want to speak to the police, you can contact another agency or charity to seek help. You can find a list of the support available near you at www.thisisnotanexcuse.org and you can also self-refer to The Bridge, a Sexual Assault Referral Centre, available 24/7 365 days a year. Visit their website at www.thebridgecanhelp.org.uk or call 0117 342 6999.