Azerbaijan national sentenced to 6 years in prison for attempted rape

A man who tried to rape a woman who was hitchhiking at knife-point after picking her up in Cihangir, north Cyprus has been sentenced to 6 years in prison. 

The decision against the defendant, F.A., an Azerbaijan national, was announced on Wednesday by the Lefkosia High Criminal Court.

The incident happened on December, 29, 2022 in Cihangir when a woman named only as R.P.B, 27, who was going to see her boyfriend in Minareliköy was given a lift by the defendant at the Haspolat round about.

Explaining what happened, the judge said; while the defendant was driving from Lefkcosia to Famagusta in a saloon car registered in his name, he took the 27-year-old woman, who was standing at the Haspolat round about, into his vehicle, and while they were driving, he showed her the money in his pocket and made an offer to her.

The judge said he then sexually assaulted her without her consent, continued driving the vehicle and did not stop even though she wanted to get out of the vehicle. 

The defendant later stopped on the dirt road in Minareliköy Kır street, threatened the woman with the knife he had in the vehicle and attempted to rape her.

The woman was injured in her palms while taking the knife from the defendant's hand. She opened the door of the vehicle and threw herself onto the road and escaped.

The defendant fled the scene with the vehicle and was detected in Cihangir with the vehicle on the same day.

He was sent to prison on January 2, 2023 to be tried after the investigation.

Pointing out that crimes of a sexual nature are becoming increasingly common and creating concern in the society, the judge announced that they sentenced the defendant to 6 years in prison.