Chilling moment rapist runs after a lone woman as he stalks her along a pavement before attacking her in a car park
- Alin-Vasile Iercosan, 27, dragged a 25-year-old woman off a street and raped her
- The attacker was sentenced to seven years and one month in prison on Friday
This is the terrifying moment a rapist ran after a woman as he stalked her along a pavement before attacking her in a car park.
Alin-Vasile Iercosan, 27, followed the 25-year-old woman as she walked home before dragging her off the street to carry out the assault.
Footage shared by police shows the victim walking swiftly along the pavement before her attacker is seen running after her.
The woman, who is legally entitled to lifelong anonymity, spoke out in court as her rapist was jailed, according to The Sun.
The attacker, from Bridgwater, in Somerset, was sentenced to seven years and one month in prison. He was jailed at Taunton Crown Court on Friday and faces an extended license as well as a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Alin-Vasile Iercosan (pictured), 27, followed a 25-year-old woman as she walked home before dragging her off the street to rape her in a car park
In a personal statement at court, the victim said: ‘I am here today to try and regain some control after you stole it all from me.
‘I’m begging that today will bring me a tiny amount of closure.’
She added: ‘No amount of time you get today will ever justify what you did to me.’
DI Hadley Rides of Operation Soteria Bluestone, who oversaw the investigation, said: ‘The CCTV we obtained during our investigation chillingly shows the predatory behaviour of Iercosan.
‘He waited on the streets of Bridgwater and deliberately followed and attacked a lone woman.’
Footage shared by police shows the victim walking swiftly along the pavement before her attacker is seen running after her
He added: ‘Iercosan admitted his crime at an early stage in the court proceedings due to the overwhelming evidence against him. I’d like to acknowledge the joint effort of detectives in my team, working with the neighbourhood policing team, which led to an early identification of the defendant.
‘However this man would not now be off our streets had it not been for the strength and determination of this young woman and her continued support of our investigation.
‘She has shown herself to be much stronger than Iercosan, who fled the country after the attack to try to evade justice.’
An Independent Sexual Violence Advisor has supported the woman during the investigation and court process.