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Hayleab and Tesfit Brhane found guilty of raping woman in Canterbury

Two sexual predators lured a drunken woman back to a house and raped her as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

Hayleab and Tesfit Brhane, 19 and 20, picked their victim up on the city’s streets after she had been drinking wine and smoking cannabis.

They then subjected her to a sustained sexual assault at Hayleab's home in Downs Road.

Hayleab Brhane (11792179)
Hayleab Brhane (11792179)

The pair – who are from Eritrea - argued she agreed to intercourse and made up the rape allegations because she felt ashamed.

But today a jury rejected their story and convicted Tesfit of two counts of rape and Hayleab of one count.

Both men stared straight ahead emotionless, not looking at the jury, as the verdict was passed.

Judge Catherine Brown told the men: “Tesfit you have been convicted of two counts of rape. Hayleab you have been convicted of one count of rape.

“Before I determine the appropriate sentence I need to know more about each of you. You have not grown up in the UK and I need to know about your backgrounds.

Police released this CCTV appeal at the time (12299411)
Police released this CCTV appeal at the time (12299411)

“I will remand you in custody and sentence you at a later date. You may go down now.”

Prosecutor Paul Valder had earlier said sports science student Tesfit schemed with Hayleab to rape the girl.

He asked him: “Isn’t it the reality that as soon as you met her and spoke to her, you decided between you that you would try and have sex with her?”

“No,” Testfit replied.

“You and Hayleab decided you were going to have sex with that girl whether she wanted to or not,” argued Mr Valder.

The attack happened on Downs Road
The attack happened on Downs Road

“No – there was no such discussion,” Tesfit claimed.

The court heard the woman had drunk the equivalent of a bottle-and-a-half of wine and smoked cannabis before deciding to venture into Canterbury city centre alone last summer.

Giving evidence, she said her attackers took her to Hayleab’s home in Downs Road, where she fell unconscious, and the two men assaulted her in the early hours.

Mr Valder explained: "She got in a taxi with the two men and says her head was spinning. She says they escorted her upstairs, took her into a bedroom, and describes herself as being really drunk.

"She collapses on the bed, comes around and Tesfit is having intercourse with her - she was trying to get him off.

"She can remember him saying something like 'it's OK baby'."

"Every time I close my eyes I can see him..."

The court heard when the woman regained her strength and accused the duo of raping her, Hayleab fled the room and Tesfit replied: "You liked it."

Hayleab is said to have raped her while she was unconscious.

The court heard she escaped the house and a number of onlookers discovered her hysterical and struggling to breathe outside.

Hayleab was arrested the next day and Tesfit handed himself in at Brixton Police Station, where he lives, shortly after a police appeal.

When the interviewing officer asked the victim if she would be able to recognise Tesfit, she replied: "Yes. Every time I close my eyes I can see him."

Both men will be sentenced at the same court on July 26.

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

For information on how we can report on court proceedings, click here.

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