Two men jailed for eight years each for rape of 18-year-old girl in hotel room

Abdinasir Darbiye and Nurudeen Mohamed, along with one other friend, had met the victim while at a nightclub in Watford town centre on August 1, 2016. She had been with two of her friends and at the end of the night one of the men offered to give the three girls a lift back to the Travelodge at Maylands Avenue where the girls were staying.

However, once there, the girl became separated from her friends and 22-year-old Darbiye and 23-year-old Mohamed raped her in the hotel room.

Darbiye, of Steward Holte Walk in Barnet, was found guilty at Luton Crown Court of three counts of rape and Mohamed, of High Road, north London, three counts of rape. Both men were sentenced to eight years in prison.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Jarl Thomason, from Hertfordshire Constabulary's Sexual Offences Investigation Team, said: "Darbiye and Mohamed subjected their victim to a harrowing and prolonged ordeal which left her traumatized.

"I would like to thank her for her bravery in reporting the matter to police and in her assistance with the investigation. The sentences handed to Darbiye and Mohamed by the court reflect the gravity of their offences. They now have a long time ahead of them to think about the harm they have caused this young woman."

Darbiye and Mohamed were acquitted of one count of digital penetration and the third man who it was alleged had been present at the time of the offence and was found not guilty of rape by joint enterprise.