Overview
- A jury found Islamuddin Talash guilty of raping a 20-year-old man in Abbey Park, Leicester, after an attack that took place on October 9, 2023.
- Recorder Sacha Ackland sentenced Talash to six years in prison on July 15, 2026, with the court calculating he may serve up to two thirds of the term in custody minus time on remand.
- The court heard the victim had run away from home and had conditions that impaired his social judgement, and prosecutors said Talash had been receiving treatment for a sexually transmitted infection at the time of the assault.
- Two teenage witnesses who recognised the victim’s vulnerability assisted him, provided images and footage that helped identify Talash, gave evidence at trial, and were publicly commended and paid £250 each.
- Defence counsel described Talash as an Afghan who fled Taliban violence and who has mental health issues and no prior convictions, and the Home Office must now process the case for automatic deportation following the prison sentence.