27-year-old man sentenced to 9 years for the rape of a female in Wigan town centre

Ablolom Okbazge (20/05/1995) of no fixed abode was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court yesterday (3 November 2022) to 9 years imprisonment and placed on the sex offenders register for life after being found guilty of rape.

In the early hours of Saturday 18 December 2021, a 37 year old female had been socialising with friends in Wigan town centre, when she became separated from her friends and was alone whilst being drunk. The victim was approached by Ablolom Okbazge and was taken down a side alley off King Street, Wigan, to a more secluded area off the main street.

The court heard how the victim was then subjected to a prolonged and horrific ordeal, where she was raped by Okbazge.

The defendant was arrested at the Brittania Hotel in Standish the following day (19 December 2021) and was remanded in custody until his trial.

Detective Constable Ray Williams of GMP’s Wigan division said;

“This has been a very traumatic ordeal for the victim from the moment she was approached in the street and led into an alleyway by Ablolom Okbazge, right up to the present day. What Okbazge did that day is likely to affect the victim for the rest of her life and the trauma will not simply go away just because the court process has concluded.

“I would like to thank the victim for her resilience and bravery in reporting this incident to the police and giving us the opportunity to put a dangerous man in prison. I believe that because of her bravery, this has prevented the same thing happening to somebody else.   

“It is my hope that the sentence handed to him today will provide both the victim and members of the community some comfort and reassurance that he will not be able to put another person through the same trauma that the victim experienced in the early hours of that day in December.

“Greater Manchester Police will not tolerate such predatory behaviour within the communities we serve. We want all members of our community, especially women and girls, to feel they are not at risk of harm when simply walking the streets of Greater Manchester and going about their daily lives.

“You may have noticed a high visibility presence during the night-time economy in various towns across the Greater Manchester Police force area. This is part of our renewed drive to make our communities safer, particularly for women and girls during the hours of darkness. We regularly have officers in uniform as well as plain clothed officers patrolling our town’s as well as the city centre who will identify and challenge predatory behaviour and deal with it accordingly.”  

If you or someone you know has been raped or sexually assaulted, we encourage you not to suffer in silence and report it to the police, or a support agency so you can get the help and support available.

• Saint Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Manchester provides a comprehensive and co-ordinated response to men, women and children who live or have been sexually assaulted within Greater Manchester. They offer forensic medical examinations, practical and emotional support as well as a counselling service for all ages. Services are available on a 24-hour basis and can be accessed by calling 0161 276 6515.

• Greater Manchester Rape Crisis is a confidential information, support and counselling service run by women for women over 18 who have been raped or sexually abused at any time in their lives. Call on 0161 273 4500 or email [email protected]

• Survivors Manchester provides specialist trauma informed support to male victims in Greater Manchester who have experienced sexual abuse, rape or sexual exploitation. Call 0161 236 2182.