Man found guilty of raping student in his home

A man has been found guilty of raping a student after luring her to his home in Leeds.

Uvesh Vahora, 36, had denied attacking the woman on 9 April, claiming he had met her in the street and taken her to his home in the Hyde Park area after offering her the use of his toilet.

A trial at Leeds Crown Court heard the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had taken ketamine and had no memory of how she had met Vahora, telling jurors she had been "intoxicated" and "disoriented".

At a hearing earlier, Vahora was remanded in custody and told he would be sentenced on 11 November.

Warning: This story contains distressing details

During the trial, the court heard a recording of a police interview which took place the day after the attack.

In it, the woman recalled being taken to a "messy" home where Vahora took her to the basement, took her phone away and raped her.

Describing the moment she entered the basement, she said: "I just remember I thought I'd be killed. I didn't know what was going on."

In the interview, the student recalled saying, "please, don't hurt me" while she was attacked, as well as asking for her phone back.

When Vahora was interviewed by police, he said he had found the woman struggling to unlock her door before she told him she needed the toilet.

He claimed they agreed she could use his toilet, and after going with him, the woman kissed him and initiated consensual sex.

The defendant told officers he then walked her home and they exchanged phone numbers.

The woman said she had never consented and was in a "vegetative state" because of the ketamine she had taken.

Judge Guy Kearl KC told Vahora to expect a prison sentence.

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