Asylum Seeker Jailed for Six Years for Attempted Rape in UK

Mehmet Bulut, 31, was convicted of attempted rape and sentenced to six years in prison, with an additional three years of extended license. He is expected to be deported from the UK.

Bulut was captured on CCTV following a woman into a dark subway in Hereford in the early hours of Sunday, August 2. Worcester Crown Court heard that Bulut had been waiting near the subway before launching a violent assault. He removed some of the victim's clothing during his initial attempt but then returned and tried to attack her again.

During the second attempt, the woman told Bulut to stop, to which he responded, "Just sex, just sex." Police arrested Bulut later the same day after he was identified as working at a local restaurant.

Bulut told officers he had been heavily intoxicated and expressed shock at his actions when shown the CCTV footage. He stated he did not know if he had been attempting to rape the woman and asked for forgiveness, which his defense attorney described as a cultural expression of remorse.

The court was informed that Bulut arrived in the UK on a small boat on Boxing Day 2022. He is of Turkish-Kurdish origin and had no fixed address or previous convictions. His defense counsel mentioned he had a difficult upbringing.

Judge Simon Drew KC described the CCTV footage as "shocking" and called Bulut a "dangerous offender." The judge noted his understanding that Bulut, as an absconded asylum seeker, would face deportation.