Runakl Delecia Jailed for Rape of 17-Year-Old Girl

A man has been sentenced to seven years and three months in prison for the rape of a 17-year-old girl in Southampton.

Runakl Shawn Delecia, 45, of Lynton Road in Bristol, was found guilty of rape at Southampton Crown Court earlier this month. The court heard how Delecia approached the victim, who is now 19 but was 17 at the time of the incident, in the Carlton Place area of the city centre at around 1.30am on Sunday 9 April 2023.

CCTV footage showed Delecia leading the girl away from Carlton Place and towards Carlton Crescent. Security staff working in the area identified Delecia, who was subsequently arrested by police and charged with the offence. He denied the charge.

Following a six-day trial, a jury found Delecia guilty of rape on Monday 3 March. Detective Constable Laura Cook, of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary's specialist rape and serious sexual offences unit Operation Amberstone, commended the victim for her bravery in coming forward.

"The courage it takes to come forward and speak to us about incidents of this nature should not be underestimated," said Detective Constable Cook. "The fact that Delecia is now behind bars is testament to her bravery in speaking out and assisting us with this investigation."

Southampton Chief Inspector Mark Lumley stated that the sentence sends a clear message to anyone who comes to Southampton city centre with the intention of causing harm. “No-one in our community should ever be in a position where they do not feel safe walking the streets,” he said. "We continue with our dedicated patrols at times when our pubs and clubs are at their busiest. A key focus of our officers, together with our partners, is to identify vulnerable people and safeguard them, as well as targeting and calling out perpetrators, arresting and using dispersal powers where necessary.”