A man who offered a woman a lift home before subjecting her to a sexual attack in his car has been sentenced to eight years in prison.
Details of the Bournemouth attack
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, 29 January 2023, in the Lansdowne area of Bournemouth. The victim, a woman in her 20s, was walking home after a night out when she was approached by Alexandru Emilian Muresan in his vehicle.
The 32-year-old defendant offered her a lift. He then parked outside her home address and sexually assaulted her inside the car. The attack was later reported to Dorset Police.
Investigation and arrest
Detectives from Bournemouth CID launched an extensive investigation to identify the vehicle involved. This led to the arrest of Muresan, a Romanian national who, during police questioning, gave his self-defined ethnicity as 'white British'.
The victim received specialist support from The Shores Sexual Assault Referral Centre, an independent sexual violence adviser from the Stars Dorset charity, and a dedicated police sexual offences liaison officer.
Trial and sentencing
Following a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court, jurors convicted Muresan of attempted rape and sexual assault. He has now been jailed for a total of eight years.
Detective Constable Hele Leech-Wilkinson, of Bournemouth CID, praised the victim's 'exceptional strength' throughout the investigation and trial. She stated that thanks to the victim's courage, the police were able to secure a conviction and put a sexual offender behind bars.
The detective also expressed hope that this case would encourage other victims of sexual offences to come forward, confident that they will be fully supported and that a meticulous investigation will follow.
