A 43-year-old man who violently raped two young women after luring them back to his flat in Belfast was given a 13-year sentence on Thursday.
Orhan Kibar – who is originally from Turkey and who has been living in Northern Ireland since 2005 – was convicted earlier this year of raping two women in the early hours of November 24th, 2017.
The women – who were 18 and 19 at the time – met Kibar outside Queen’s Students Union. He invited the girls back to his flat, where he attacked and raped one in his bathroom before assaulting her friend.
Judge Paul Ramsey QC praised both victims for the “resourcefulness and courage” they displayed which brought their attacker to justice, telling Kibar that on the evening in question he was clearly seeking sex with someone, whether they consented or not.
The judge said Kibar “deliberately targeted these two girls he knew were vulnerable by reason of their intoxication”, adding “once they agreed to go to his flat, their fate was sealed”.
Despite his conviction, Kibar has maintained his innocence and continues his assertion that the women approached him on the street and invited themselves back to his flat for a “sex party”.
A probation officer spoke of Kibar’s sense of entitlement, and concluded: “There will not be one word of regret, apology or shame from this man to at least provide some crumb of comfort to his victims.”
The jury unanimously convicted him of three counts of rape and one count of false imprisonment.
Imprisoned
During the two-week trial, the jury heard that after encountering the friends outside the students' union at around 1.30am, he invited them back to his Russell Court flat on Claremont Street where he claimed a party was taking place.
Once inside the property the 19-year-old soon fell asleep, while the 18-year-old was offered a cigarette.
She went to the bathroom and Kibar followed her, before locking the door. There was a lengthy struggle and he raped and imprisoned her in the bathroom in an ordeal which lasted around half an hour.
She escaped from the flat when she bit him on the hand.
As she was fleeing, she did not see her friend in the livingroom and ran on to the street. She bumped into someone she knew and in a distressed state, she described what had just happened and the police were called immediately.
Meanwhile, inside the flat Kibar attacked her sleeping friend, who was woken with him on top of her raping her, in his bedroom. She told Kibar she needed to go to the toilet, and after a few minutes he let her go to the bathroom.
As she stepped out, Kibar pushed her back into the bathroom and during a struggle he broke one of her fingers. He then held her down and raped her a second time, before she managed to escape.
Since arriving in the UK aged 29, Kibar has been diagnosed with a range of mental health issues.
Prosecutor Charles MacCreanor QC said Kibar was violent and raped both woman “despite their obvious distress” as well as displaying “a sense of entitlement which came out when he was giving his evidence”.
Defence barrister Ken McMahon QC branded as “inaccurate” claims that Kibar targeted the woman deliberately and instead suggested he was out “looking for people he could befriend”.
Pointing out Kibar has no criminal record or history of violence and sexual assault, Mr McMahon spoke of a difference of culture, and said “prison will give him time to reflect that what he did that night was very, very wrong and he must not do it again”.
The judge imposed a 13-year sentence, with a three-year extended licence period. Kibar was also made the subject of a 10-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order which will take effect when he is released from jail, and will be on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.