Man Jailed for Rape

A 22 year old man's been jailed to 5 years in prison for raping a woman at a Thames Valley pub.

Rogerio Coito, aged 22, who was the bar manager and licensee of The Priory pub in Grenoble Road, Blackbird Leys, was found guilty at Oxford Crown Court of two counts of rape on 8 January 2010. He's been sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Det Con Matt Welsh, leading the investigation, said:

“Coito was in a position of trust when he raped a woman in The Priory pub. He had also been drinking that evening and was dishonest, stating that he was trying to help the victim in the toilets. I would like to pay tribute to the victim; I hope that now the trial has finished she can get some kind of closure and try to put this ordeal behind her. Thames Valley Police treat reports of rape and sexual offences very seriously and we will do everything we can to investigate them and put the offender before the court.”

NEW SEXUAL ASSUALT CAMPAIGN

It's hoped a new online video game released in the Thames Valley will help encourage young people to respect each other when it comes to sex.

Police want parents to get their teenagers to play it - so they know when not to 'cross the line' after a night out. The ‘Seal the deal’ YouTube game and Facebook site are designed to demonstrate to men what constitutes rape and sexual assault, particularly in the context of a night out. The launch is designed to coincide with the height of the Christmas party season on Thursday and Friday nights.

Det Insp Chris Inness is leading the Don’t Cross the Line Campaign in Thames Valley. He said:

“‘Seal the deal’ is designed to make it clear that even when both parties have been drinking, the usual rules apply. The game takes place from the perspective of the man and allows people playing the game to make choices about what move to make, whether to take no for an answer and when to go home. I think many men will recognise the scenario as something they have been through themselves, and the game is designed to get people to think about the consequences of the decisions they make while drunk.”

Liz Jones, who is the domestic and sexual abuse co-ordinator at Oxford City Council, told Heart:

“Consent has to be actively and freely given, ‘Anything less than a Yes, is a No’, which includes saying nothing. If someone does experience sexual violence then they can report to the Police and access support through Oxford Sexual Assault and Rape Crisis Centre.”

 Watch the video - and play the game here:

It comes as the Crown Prosecution Service in the Thames Valley say that they're DOUBLING efforts to prosecute sex offenders.

In a statement, Baljit Ubhey, Chief Crown Prosecutor of Thames Valley, told Heart:

"Rape is one of the cruellest and most degrading offences, and prosecuting it can be difficult. We are now redoubling our efforts to achieve the highest standards across the country. I hope the public in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire will have confidence that rape victims in this Area will be treated sensitively and that their attackers will be prosecuted robustly.

First and foremost, I want you all to know that budget cuts will not affect the quality that you should expect from our specialist rape prosecutors. Those prosecutors will still be given the time and training to ensure they are the very best they can be. And I will ensure that any decisions they make on whether or not to prosecute are based on the merits of the evidence.

There can be no room for decisions based on the assumption that a jury might hold certain misconceptions or be intolerant (examples include what the complainant might have been wearing, or what he or she may have had to drink when the alleged attack took place).

I will also be closely monitoring the communication between my lawyers and complainants of rape and sexual offences. They need to ensure they are speaking in language that everyone can understand, and in language that is sensitive to the recipient. Those found not to meet our high standards will be specifically shown how to do so by their manager.

In the New Year, the CPS will be consulting with charities and organisations with expertise on sexual offences and other violent crimes, as to how and when we charge individuals with the serious offence of perverting the course of justice, particularly when a rape complainant is suspected of falsely retracting his or her allegation.

Prosecuting a rape complainant for perverting the course of justice is unusual, and if such a case is being considered in this Area, the Director of Public Prosecutions has now asked that his approval is sought before any decision to prosecute is made.

Let me reassure you, I have a strong team of high calibre prosecutors. What I am doing is to make the team even better. These measures are just the first in a long-term drive to improve the quality of rape prosecutions, so that you can feel confident that the Crown Prosecution Service is determined to deal properly with the devastating offence of rape."