Migrant Deliveroo Rider Sentenced to 21 Years for Brutal Rape

An illegal migrant Deliveroo rider has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for raping a woman he dragged off the street in July 2024. Salem Rekoub, 28, who had no legal right to work in the UK, followed the victim's ambulance to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital after the assault, intending to "get to the woman again," a court heard.

Rekoub arrived in Britain on a tourist visa in 2023. He targeted the woman, who is in her 40s, after finding her semi-conscious at a bus stop in Chelsea, West London. He then dragged her down a side road and attacked her for approximately 17 minutes. During the assault, the victim drifted in and out of consciousness, and Rekoub repeatedly told her to be quiet. She sustained 33 bruises across her body.

After the attack, Rekoub called emergency services and provided a false account, claiming the woman had too much to drink. He later told police, under an assumed name, that he was merely a concerned passerby. CCTV footage showed Rekoub, still in his Deliveroo uniform, smirking as he followed the ambulance carrying his victim to the hospital, where he was seen walking through corridors and looking into triage rooms.

When questioned by hospital staff, Rekoub stated he was "here to find someone." The victim was able to recount the assault to paramedics, leading to Rekoub's arrest nine days later. The woman has suffered significant psychological trauma, including seizures and attempts to take her own life, and has spent time in a mental health treatment center. In a statement read to the court, she described feeling "destroyed" and no longer being the same person.

Rekoub was found guilty by a jury of three counts of rape and two counts of assault by penetration. His defense noted that he was a promising footballer who had his career cut short by a knee injury. A Deliveroo spokesperson stated that Rekoub was not a verified rider and had illegally accessed their platform, adding that the company has since strengthened its security measures.